By JARROD POTTER
VSDCA – Round 13 (One day)
DOUBLE the south east trouble will come to the VSDCA finals after Noble Park and Endeavour Hills both qualified for the last stage of the season.
NOBLE PARK v BRIGHTON
After falling to the lower rungs of the ladder, with a 1-3 start to the season, Noble Park (5/122) returned to the peaks of its power. Ash Perera (4/32) found his peak form at the right moment – rattling through the Brighton top order alongside Rizan Mawzoon (1/12).
Only one partnership ever threatened the Bulls – the stand between Andrew Martin (34 not out) and Jack Lees (20) – but it was quickly unravelled by Mevan Fernando (2/22) to finish off the visitors’ tail approaching the completion. Chipping in up and down the order, the Bulls smashed their way to victory within 30 overs as Sanjeewa de Silva (36) and Fernando (22) led the charge to the finals.
Noble Park’s 2013/14 premiership defence will start in earnest this week against Ormond away.
ENDEAVOUR HILLS v KINGSTON SAINTS
Needing a win to make it through, Endeavour Hills (5/159) emerged triumphantly over Kingston Saints (7/157). The middle order resolve of Kingston’s Anthony White (48) and captain Luke Wintle (47) was the only partnership of significance as the Eagles swooped on wicket after wicket. Captain Chris Periera (1/15) and Daniel Wiles (1/15) were economical throughout their spells while Matt Foenander (3/36) speared the important scalps when it mattered most.
The chase was a Zach Allen (78) master-class as the teenage tyro belted half the required runs and left the rest to his team to hunt down.
Allen was found short of the crease on 78, but the resolve of Foenander (33 not out) and Richard Saniga (14 not out) was enough to finish the job and push the Eagles through to the finals for the first time since 2012/13.
Endeavour Hills will trek across to face Caulfield in this weekend’s finals’ clash.
