Back from the abyss

By RUSSELL BENNETT

VICTORIAN SUB-DISTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION – ROUND 3 (One day)

NOBLE Park bounced back from the horror of its Round-2 loss to Endeavour Hills with an impressive one-day win over Mount Waverley at home on Saturday.
In one of the weekend’s many rain-affected matches, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat and were in control early with openers Chanaka Sampath (31) and wicket-keeper batsman Rohan Dutt (27) combining for a 51-run stand.
But they were the two highest scorers of the Mount Waverley innings with a balanced Noble Park attack taking eight wickets for the loss of just 90 runs – leaving the visitors at 8/141 from their 34 overs.
The Perera boys – Ash (2/23) and Marasinghe (2/24), and Rizan Mawzoon (2/34) led the way while Mevan Fernando and Andrew Berman also claimed a wicket apiece.
Noble Park’s innings started shakily, losing opener Jake Bradshaw (0) early but Marasinghe Perera (53) – batting at number three – completed a stellar all-around individual game with a half-century. A handy 32 from opener Sanjeewa De Silva provided enough support to see his side home in 32.5 overs – a handy five-wicket win (5/144).
Endeavour Hills, meanwhile, continued its march with a 43-run win over Croydon at Croydon Oval. After losing the toss and being sent into bat, the Eagles were dismissed for 153 in the 45th over with Aaron Walter, Chris Brown and Mitch Rosam all taking two wickets each for the home side.
Croydon could only must 28 runs for its biggest partnerships, however (the first and fifth wickets) – collapsing to be all out for 110.
The Eagles will host Ormond at Sydney Pargeter Reserve this Saturday, while Noble Park will travel to Walter Galt Reserve in Mordialloc to face the Kingston Saints.