By Jonty Ralphsmith
Coomoora’s streak has been broken, Heinz Southern Districts has consolidated top spot and the gap has widened between Parfield and the top four in an eventful round 7 of the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 2 competition.
At Sweeney Reserve, Coomoora never looked like chasing down Narre Warren’s Amila Ratnaike-led 7/325, falling short by 148 runs.
John Mentiplay was frugal with the ball, taking four wickets including openers Lance Baptist and Rahoul Pankhania in his opening spell.
Without a platform to launch off, there were several starts in the middle order but the absence of a big score in a mammoth chase proved fatal, with Adam Wheeler’s 39 the top score.
Backing up his unbelievable start to the season with the bat which has included two centuries and a half century, Ratnaike supported Mentiplay well with the ball, nabbing two wickets at critical junctures.
Sakuntha Liyanage was the best bowler for HSD, which comfortably defended 8/336 against St Mary’s.
Workhorse fast bowler Ryan Patterson got an early breakthrough to put the Cobras in control, before Raveen Nanayakkara led the St Mary’s fightback.
Batting at four, his 103 was busy and poised despite wickets falling at the other end.
Despite being unable to contain Nanayakkara, their ability to prevent a partnership forming kept the pressure on, with Liyanage taking 2/55 in a clinical spell through the middle of the innings.
At Parkfield, the hosts went down by three wickets to Cranbourne.
It leaves last year’s grand finalists languishing in seventh position on the table, with just one win from their first seven games.
Defending 190 thanks in large part to a lower order stabilising 75 to Hansika Kodikara, Parkfield took four early wickets as recruit Sahan Jayawardana bowled a fearsome opening spell.
The Eagles, however, were able to stabilise via a 77-run partnership between Hayden Lamb and Mohit Bisht.
Spinner Nick Jeffrey broke the partnership, but it was only brief solace for Parkfield, with Ketan Bakshi then putting on 60 runs alongside Lamb to move Cranbourne to within 45 runs of victory.
After Lamb’s dismissal, Bakshi batted calmly with the lower-order to guide his team to victory.
Parkmore defeated Lyndale in the other game.
Patient opening batter Kyle Gwynne combined with Satheesh Fernandu to put Parkmore in the box seat to chase 192.
Gwynne scored 68 and Fernandu reached 78, with a flow of cameos through the middle order enough to get Parkfield home.
Faraz Rahman was the pick of the bowlers with 2/31 off 11 overs.
