A tough weekend for the cricketers in maroon as victories were hard to come by.
The Mounters were only able to post one win as the teams battled against tough opposition, whilst injuries and absences meant the club could only field five teams.
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI travelled to East Ringwood in a game that promised to be a shoot out after the teams put on over 700 runs in their two day clash at Mt Evelyn earlier in the season.
In a bid to get a feel for the contest and what would be required of the run chase, East Ringwood sent Mt Evelyn in to bat.
Considering their top order woes, the Mounters started cautiously with newly promoted Brad Westaway combining with Daniel Fraser to give the visitors a wicket-free opening ten overs of the innings.
Praying for an opening wicket, the visitors feasted when the partnership was broken.
Instead of the innings flourishing after the steady start, the batting lineup was squeezed with regular wicket to see the innings stutter to 5/92 in the 30th over.
If the Mounters were going to compile a decent score, they would need a big finish to the innings.
Dan Giblin (44) and Jett Hartman (27 not out) would beef up the innings to help the Mounters score 80 runs over the closing ten overs, but one would imagine that a score of 8/172 would be slightly under par.
The Mt Evelyn attach would be disciplined enough to keep things in check, but with a required run rate of just over four an over, they needed to make some inroads into the opposition’s batting order and quickly.
Unfortunately, regular wickets weren’t forthcoming, and each time a wicket feel, they would need Kangaroos were able to steady the ship with another useful partnership.
Eventually the hosts would chase down the total with the loss of just four wickets and four overs still in hand.
A comfortable chase. All the bowlers would battle manfully, but none could capture the bag of wickets required.
Coming off a comfortable win against top of the table Wandin, the Professionals Outer East 2nd XI were chock full of confidence to take on the high flying Seville Burras, another stern challenge.
Mt Evelyn elected to bowl first and were promptly put to the sword by a dominant opening partnership.
Jackson Merrett was thrust into the action after a long lay off and wasn’t disgraced bowling his eight overs up front, and despite being economical, he couldn’t provide the breakthrough.
The rest of the bowling order would then be put to the sword as Seville openers Leigh Aitkin and Caleb Frankovic would master the conditions to put together an amazing partnership of 236 on the way to helping the visitors to a monumental total of 2/288.
Luke Jones’ spin option was the only other bowling spell than Merrett’s to contain the score under a run a ball.
Although the chase looked out of hand on paper, all and sundry knew that of the Mounters could keep wickets in hand, then the required run rate would be more than achievable on a ground that has conceded some massive totals this season.
Unfortunately for the Mounters, wickets would be the costly factor in their run chase.
There would be an even contribution of runs across the entire innings however the fact that no batters would achieve a half century points to the fact that when the run rate needed to be ramped up, a new batter was taking the time to establish themselves at the wicket.
Eventually stumps would be called on the innings with the score at 7/245, by no means a terrible result, but a disappointing one nonetheless the less.
Adam Smith would continue his good form at the top of the innings scoring 46, whilst Chris Morrow would try his best to accelerate the innings with 44 off 30 deliveries, but this innings needed a big individual total or a decent partnership if the Mounters were going to mount a significant challenge to Seville’s total.
The Rhead Group 3rd XI have had a tough return to cricket in the new year.
Last week they were put to the sword by a dominant batting performance from Warrandyte and if they thought things would get easier, they would soon be tested by a trip to Templeton to take on the league leading Taipans.
The Mt Evelyn bowlers would acquit themselves with more discipline this week beginning with tight spells from openers Daniel Meades and Luke Shepherd.
The innings would ebb and flow throughout. A significant 3rd wicket partnership of 111 for the Taipans threatened to blow the contest open when it was time to ramp up the run rate, but regular wickets to Alex Whiting (4/46) and Sam Van Hoogstraten (2/38) meant the eventual damage was limited even though the final total of 9/228 would be a tough one to chase.
The chase could not have got off to a worse start as the visitors quickly stumbled to be 5/49 to almost end the Mounters chances before they could muster any resistance.
The shining light in the batting gloom was opener Campbell Finch who held his nerve, and his wicket, and when Meades joined him at the wicket, they started the rescue mission.
A half century partnership followed giving the visitors an outside chance at victory.
Meades would raise a half century of his own, and when Finch departed, Whiting would prove a useful ally.
Eventually the cost of early wickets would prove fatal as the task became too large at the back end of the innings as the asking run rate became too large.
Although the Mounters wouldn’t be disgraced against top opposition, they would be disappointed their top order didn’t fire. The eventual total would be 9/194, 34 runs shy of the Taipans.
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI have enjoyed a good run of form, and despite a blip on the radar last week against Ainslie Park, they entered their clash against Yarra Glen in good shape.
The Mounters would bat first and even contributions throughout the top order would ensure the hosts would compile a big total. Kadyn Newport would be the star of the innings compiling an unbeaten score of 66 leading the team to a score of 7/244.
Yarra Glen would have to bat well to chase this total down.
For much of Yarra Glen’s innings, Mt Evelyn controlled the pace of the innings and it looked as if the River Pigs wouldn’t have enough time to chase the total despite some intermittent lusty blows.
Wickets would be shared for the bowlers as they strangled their opponents. With 60 required off the last six overs, the win was almost in the bag for the hard working Mounters. Yarra Glen would have none of it and captain Matt Donnelly would lead his team to a remarkable victory courtesy of some late order big hitting. The visitors would secure victory in the last over of an amazing game.
The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI have been quietly going about their business sitting mid-table and after last week’s tough loss against a strong Croydon North lineup, the Mounters travelled to North Ringwood in what appeared on paper to be a much easier challenge.
That couldn’t be further from the truth as the game would turn out to be a classic going down to the last ball of the game.
Mt Evelyn would bat first and would struggle to gather momentum due to regular wickets. The scoreboard would tick over, courtesy of a steady knock from Paul Flavel, but innings needed a much needed scoring injection.
This came in the form of young gun Ben Dunstone who would real off a near run a ball 63 featuring 10 fours and a six to boost the score beyond 200, after it looked as if the innings wouldn’t get beyond 150. The final score would be 9/213, what looked to be a challenge too far for the bottom of the table Bulls.
North Ringwood probed they would be up for the fight and with Paul Wheatley anchoring the innings with a masterful century it was challenge few saw coming for the Mounters.
Harry Dunstone’s performance would belie his young age as he would lead the attack with figures of 3/31, but the rest of the Mt Evelyn bowlers would struggle to contain Wheatley’s brilliance.
Eventually, it would all come down to the last over of the game with Ben Dunstone given the duties of defending the last 15 runs, Wheatley the Bulls last hope. Dot, six, four, one, Wheatley century, game on, four needed off the last two balls for victory.
The Mounters would hold their nerve in the field and with Wheatley run out on the penultimate ball of the innings trying to regain the strike, Dunstone would close the game out and hand the visitors a heart stopping victory.
