Cracker contest

By Gavin Staindl
IF ANYONE thought next fortnight’s crunch match between undefeated Twenty20 teams Buckley Ridges and Doveton needed an extra kick, then they’ve got it.
With the news of prolific run scorer Brad Hodge possibly lining up for Doveton, the interest in the already highly anticipated match has skyrocketed.
In a purely cricket sense, the match shapes to be a cracker, with the winner of the clash advancing to the semi-finals.
On Tuesday night, Doveton sent an ominous warning to reigning champions Buckley Ridges after the Doves demolished fellow Turf One team Narre Warren by 23 runs at Robinson Oval.
Led by openers Matt Hutchinson (39) and Brad Downe (26), the Doves piled on 65 runs before they lost their first wicket, and only a calf injury to captain Ryan Hendy (22) that forced him to retire slowed their momentum.
A quick-fire 27 not out by Jason Arnberger guided Doveton to 4/141 after 20 overs.
Apart from Richard Faust, who made 40, Narre Warren never looked like catching the imposing target.
Even the efforts of the Narre spectators to “adjust” the cones on the boundary to assist the Magpie batters couldn’t save the inevitable as the Doveton bowlers proved too hard to handle.
Nick Fairbank (2/6), Nathan Wilson (2/12) and Matt Hutchinson (2/21) led the Doves with the ball, but it was Hendy’s fill-in Jason McCloy who took a running catch at long mid-on late in the day that sealed the win.
Down the road at Hallam Recreation Reserve, former Cranbourne coach Johan Vorster was quietly making a name for himself in a Hallam jersey.
Vorster chipped in with an unbeaten 18 runs and took 1/18 with the ball as Hallam disposed of Dandenong West by 17 runs.
Hawk batters Nicolas Cox (44) and Cory Booth (41 not out) saw their side to 3/143 after 20 overs, but a determined chase by Dandenong West’s Anthony Brannan (65 not out) pulled the game within reach.
That was until Clive Rose stepped in.
At 2/98 with five overs remaining, Rose (3/19) dismissed Matt Fielding (20) lbw before snaring the important wicket of Greg Siwes and the Bulls fell into freefall, losing 6/23.
In the battle of the bears at Parkfield Reserve, the Berwick Bears were too strong for Parkfield, chasing down their total of 9/116 with seven wickets remaining.
Brad Francis (37) continued his impressive form as Berwick comfortably passed Parkfield’s total with two overs left.
In a mini-upset at Lois Twohig Reserve, HSD kept its slim finals hopes alive with a one-wicket win over North Dandenong.
In other matches, Narre South was thumped by 105 runs to Buckley Ridges at Strathaird Reserve and Fountain Gate narrowly fell short of St. Mary’s target by 14 runs at Max Pawsey Reserve.
Narre North and Cranbourne also suffered defeats with Narre North going down by 31 runs to home-side Mordialloc, and the Eagles lost by four wickets to Keysborough at Keysborough Reserve.