Cricket returned after its summer siesta over the Christmas period on Saturday, and Mt Evelyn’s cricketers braced themselves for the big run into finals with just over a month to book their places.
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn First XI’s season has struggled to take flight, and they find themselves in a desperate fight to remain in the Wilkins Cup competition. With a restructure of grading for the 2026/27 season, three teams will be relegated, and the Mounters currently find themselves short of the mark.
They hit the road to Kilsyth for their first game of the new year in a bid to turn things around. Mt Evelyn won the toss and captain Campbell Mole elected to take the front foot and chose to bat first. The Mounters’ top order woes continued with gun bats Malinga De Silva and Jake Blackwell back in the sheds in quick succession to put the innings on the back foot from the outset. Daniel Fraser would do his best to keep the innings together and would compile a useful innings of 49. Mole would combine with Fraser for a steadying partnership of 44 through the middle overs, but when both departed with the score just beyond three figures, the task became great for the rest of the batting line-up.
A blistering half-century from Jett Hartman kept the scoreboard ticking over through the back end of the innings, pushing the final score to 7/185. By no means a huge total, but one that gave the visitors an opportunity for victory should they bowl well.
When Hrabe struck in the first over, things looked bright for the Mounters. From there, neither team would yield. For the Redbacks, the key would be wickets in hand as they would reach 2/95 at the halfway point of the innings. Mt Evelyn in much need of some wickets. Darcy Fraser and Malinga De Silva would strike in consecutive overs upon the resumption of play, breathing new life into the contest and to Mt Evelyn’s chances. The game was still up for grabs after 30 overs, with the hosts still requiring 52 off the last 10 overs, but with the benefit of still six wickets in the sheds.
In the blink of an eye…the game was over. Kilsyth would proceed to smash the required runs off the next three overs, yanking the victory with brutal force. A shell-shocked Mt Evelyn team left to lament another loss, and the gravity of the task ahead in the remaining rounds to avoid relegation.
The Professionals Outer East Second XI entered the new year in the top four, but seeking some consistency over the back end of the season, as solid wins had been accompanied by the occasional slip up leaving the 2nd XI far from comfortable with their standing. Up first were the top of the table Bulldogs from Wandin. A big test straight off the bat.
Gary Martin Oval has been the source of quick and plentiful runs this season, so when the Mounters started with the ball, they knew they needed to be persistent and resilient, as runs would be the order of the day. Openers Kynan Yates and Brad Jones would be disciplined with their lines and lengths and would be ably supported by young star Billie Laird.
Regular wickets would stymy the flow of the innings and despite reaching a useful total of 9/211, the hosts still would be well pleased with their efforts in the field. The only blemish would be the 30 extras gifted to their opponents. Would that prove fatal?
Right from the outset, the total was going to look well under par. Opener Adam Smith was particularly unforgiving, blasting 94 runs off 68 deliveries littered with 14 fours and four sixes. The only hiccup in his brilliant innings was that he wasn’t able to capture a much-deserved century. The rest of the top order would follow Smith’s lead, with Mike Mawson’s unbeaten half-century capping off a brisk chase, taking the Mounters to victory within 30 overs and seven wickets in hand.
The victory is the perfect start to the new year for the Second XI, however, they would be well aware that wins will be at a premium for the remainder of the season, as the gap between the top of the table and the bottom of the table is minimal. String some late-season wins together, and home finals beckon. Lose games and finals may be missed.
The Rhead Group Third XI have also had a steady start to the season, sneaking into the top four by Christmas. Their biggest challenge has been trying to knock off the competition’s top teams, and Saturday’s game presented them with the perfect opportunity to break their duck as they travelled to Warrandyte to take on the high-flying Bloods.
Warrandyte would open up with the bat, and it soon became clear to the Mounters how big their task would be. The Bloods flew out of the gates courtesy of openers Sean Dixon and Tim Winter. The pair would rack up a remarkable 124-run partnership within the first seven overs when captain Graeme Foster finally broke through for the floundering visitors. The run rate would slow, but with Winter batting throughout the innings, it was still a run-a-ball pace. Eventually, the Mounters were given a reprieve when the innings closed at 6/310, a huge total to chase for victory. No bowlers were spared in the onslaught, with wickets shared.
As predicted, the chase proved to be too difficult and even though the Mounters had an honest crack at chasing the score, the risks in chasing such a huge total meant that wickets fell too regularly in the pursuit of quick runs. The Mounters would be bowled out in the 30th over with the score on 197. Alex Whiting (38), Luke Paterson (37) and Zeke Tressider (23*) would be the key contributors to the innings, but no batter could kick on to the big innings that the chase needed.
Although the Third XI still sit third on the ladder, the traffic jam through the middle means that wins are still vital in the run home should they want to participate in the finals action.
The Hop Hen Brewing Fourth XI’s season has been progressing nicely with a string of wins leading into the break, consolidating their position in the top four. In a close competition, their opening game of the new year against third-placed Ainslie Park could prove crucial to final standings.
The Parkers would put a strong and experienced team on the park who would be a tough challenge for the improving Mounters. Ainslie would bat first and compile a very useful total of 6/257. A well-paced and well-compiled innings. The Mt Evelyn bowlers would battle manfully, but on the quick Gruyere Reserve, runs were hard to stop. Campbell Manser would be the best of the bowlers, capturing 2/29.
Unperturbed, the Mounters went about their business with the chase, knowing full well that if they could keep wickets in hand, the run friendly conditions would pay them back handsomely. Opener Lachie Robertson and Jarrod Hartman provided the steady base on which to build as their 116-run partnership pushed the total to 2/155. Unfortunately for the hosts, the run rate was always behind the eight ball, and when the whips started cracking in the run home, the Mounters couldn’t muster the scoring rate to realistically challenge Ainslie’s score. Robertson (61) and Hartman (62) made excellent half centuries, but if the Mounters were to chase down the total, one or both of them needed to kick on until the end.
When stumps were drawn, the Mounters would find themselves 40 runs short with a score of 6/217. A promising showing with plenty of positives, but short of victory. The Fourth XI find themselves in a precarious position defending their place in the top four. They have some breathing space ahead of Wonga Park in fifth place, but some losses could see that gap close quickly.
The Lilydale Tyres Fifth XI have had a mixed start to the season after stepping up a grade this season. The competition has some strong sides that have been tough to break down, whilst the rest of the teams have provided a level competition. With the Mounters sitting fourth on the ladder, wins against teams around them on the ladder become imperative. Their opponents on the weekend, Croydon North, have been one of the high flyers this season, so it was a tough assignment first up after a spell.
It proved to be as the Knights’ batting line up put them to the sword. The Mounters would experience some early success with a pair of wickets to Harry Dunstone, reducing the score to 2/35, but from there, the batting was unforgiving on the Mt Evelyn bowlers. At the end of the 36 overs, Croydon North would amass a huge total, scoring 6/296. A tough chase for the visitors.
A tough chase it proved to be as regular wickets had the Mounters scrambling from the outset. With the score at 7/90, it looked like it was going to be an early finish for all and sundry. Paul Flavel (43 not out) and Ryan Doyle (24 not out) would dig their heels in and show a little fight when all was lost to ensure the game would go the distance, but the chase was well and truly out of sight, and when stumps were drawn, the Mounters were 150 runs short with 7/146 on the scoreboard.
The Flowtec Sixth XI have battled along this season. Generally not disgraced in any of their games, but have fallen short in key moments of games. Their opponents on Saturday, Bayswater Park, top of the ladder and a tough challenge to start the new year.
After scrambling a team together at the last moment, Mt Evelyn opened up the contest with the bat on the ‘Postage Stamp’ at Mt Evelyn with a high scoring affair in the offing. Ring in, Jackson Merrett quickly asserted his influence on the game, racing to his retirement of 50 in quick time. Craig Carsten would ensure the total would tick on with a blistering 32 before his hamstring gave way, whilst Dave Henderson (36) and Casey Burton (28) had the Mounters well on task to a defendable total. The cherry on the top was Merrett’s return to the wicket as he would add another 82 runs to his personal total of 132 not out, his maiden century after a long absence from the game. His end-of-innings flurry boosted the score to an imposing 8/306.
Although the total looks impassable on paper, everyone on both sides knew this contest was far from over on the unforgiving surrounds. Bayswater Park would start steadily in their pursuit of the runs, and their openers would establish a firm base on which to build. What followed was a brutal attack through the middle overs, keeping the Sharks well on track, if not always ahead of the task. The Mounters would give themselves every chance as Mikey Gibbons would become the unlikely destroyer with the ball, taking four big wickets to tighten things up, but the Sharks were too classy and accomplished to let this one slip as they passed the score with three overs in the bank and three wickets in the shed.
A tough loss for the Mounters, but another encouraging performance nonetheless.
