The Basin upsets the form guide

By Steve Brown
IN what has been an even competition this season, local cricket followers have not been surprised with the inconsistent form by some teams at the completion of Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association’s round four of the Knox Tavern Cup.
The Basin defeated the highly fancied Ferntree Gully in a great game by just nine runs at Ferntree Gully on the back of man of the match Adam Luckman’s 63.
The skipper also received good support from Porch who made an invaluable half-century.
Rowville 266, had sufficient runs on the board to win another close one against Upwey by 12 runs.
The Tigers have chased unsuccessfully in the past two matches and it was left to tailender Shane Cross (53) at the end after Shane Richardson and Mick Hewitt got starts.
In the annual Mark Paffett Shield at Fairpark, Johnson Park retained the trophy easily accounting for Knoxfield’s challenging 233. With a large crowd in attendance, the Sharks were never in trouble and pulled stumps early at 2/282.
Top bats, Bryn Gaunt (115*) and Dulip Samaraweera (109*) added an unbeaten 196 for the third wicket to clinch the local derby.
Samaraweera has scored just short of 400 runs against the hapless Knights in the past three seasons having been dismissed just once in that time.
Mountain Gate is on a roll with another win, this time against the reigning premiers Belgrave.
Set 319 to win, the Belgrave Magpies fell just short, to be all out for 284 with Ben Carnell (71) having a good year. Leigh Newey also chipped in with 62 and Leigh Goddard took 4/38 for the winners, who have turned the corner.
At Eildon Park, the home side had Monbulk on the rack last week at 5/20 chasing a modest 127.
However, the experienced trio of Chris Coen (52), Darren Hill (51) and Jay Colee saw the Hawks home.
Steve Pimm collected five wickets for the Panthers against arguably the best batting line-up in the competition.
Upper Gully (156) let St John’s Tecoma off the hook at one stage having them 7/66 until Trent Pitts and young Kyle Grenda got together, proving that partnerships win matches. When Grenda was dismissed with five runs to win it was the captain, Pitts who saw it through for an important victory before being adjudged lbw for 98.
Visiting English left arm fast bowler, Aaron Watson captured 5/46 for the Kings.
In Decoite Shield, despite Upwey’s Paul Evans’ magnificent century, it was not enough to hold off Footballers who chased 271 with Manoj falling three runs short of a ton. Knox Gardens outclassed Knox with Jarrod Butcher taking 5/27.
Auravale are travelling nicely with another win over neighbour South Belgrave with Steve Hall in great touch. Lysterfield had too many on the board for a young Eildon Park side winning by 105 runs.
The Basin pulled off a shock win against Ferntree Gully by 19 runs with Hall making 76 for the Gully and Knoxfield’s Sando, will be looking for promotion next week with 5/27 in his team’s win against Johnson Park.