Last ball win for Tigers

By Steve Brown
UPWEY proved their critics wrong when they successfully chased 260 for victory against Belgrave to open this season’s account in what was the major highlight of round four in the Knox Tavern Cup.
The Tigers’ ship was heading in the right direction at 1/90 and was bolstered by half centuries to Country Week prospect, Steve Gannell, in-form Brendan Heath and keeper Shane Richardson.
With Belgrave’s Rod Mead bowling at the death, Upwey required nine runs from the last over and a single from the last ball of the day with the experienced Matt Grace at the helm.
Grace got enough pad on ball for a leg bye to end a great game of cricket.
Ferntree Gully continue on their merry way with a workman-like win over Lysterfield who were defending 116. The Blues passed their target only two wickets down thanks to young Randall Joseph, 87, and RDCA Dean Medallist Matthew Black, 50, and finished the day at 4/208.
Rowville showed why they are on top defeating the Johnson Park Sharks by 10 runs. A run chase of 251 was never going to be easy but Gavin Williams, 50, and man of the match Craig Arnell, 74*, added to his six wickets from last week, saw the Hawks home.
Mt Gate never gave Upper Gully a look in and defended 259 with ease. Captain Bryan Ferguson (5/47) and Dave Harris (4/28) did the job as the Kings were rolled for 141.
Knox Gardens (254) won their first Knox Tavern Cup match by 25 runs over a gallant St Johns Tecoma who batted all day for 8/229.
Jason Newman was unbeaten on 52 batting lower down the order while White had the best figures for the Falcons with a tidy 4/30.
The win should lift the confidence of the young Knox Gardens team.
The Basin resumed at 3/40 in their run chase of Knoxfield’s 126 and were dismissed for 188 thanks to Adam Luckman’s 81. Former Mountain Gate player Brendan McNamara chipped in with 42 in a game where 126 was never going to be enough.
Eildon Park pair Mick Sinclair and Cam Cosstick bowled well in tandem to easily account for a disappointing Monbulk who were 100 runs in arrears in their Decoite Shield match.
Footballers, back in the winners frame, defended 167 at home to Ferntree Gully who were bundled out for 121 by Lee Leathem’s 6/29.
Johnson Park (218) took the honours against Upper Gully (188) with Stanios and Steve Walter making the runs for the winners while Reiter took 5/37.
Upwey almost defended 115 at The Basin who got the bickies by 12 runs however the Tigers did not fare much better in their second hit, all out for 140 and South Belgrave scored plenty of bonus points in their win over Lysterfield who were dismissed twice with Daniel Maxwell taking 6/59.