The eagerly awaited cricket battle between unbeaten McIntyre Cup sides Gisborne and Romsey is heavily weighted in favour of the Dragons after last Saturday’s play at Gardiner Reserve.
The Redbacks were dismissed for 190 from 61.1 overs, and Gisborne will resume at 1/58 this Saturday with the previous round’s century makers Riley Vernon and Will Mackay at the crease.
Both teams spent plenty of time in the pre-match warm-ups, and Romsey skipper Ben Way won the toss and elected to bat.
Gisborne’s multi-pronged attack kept the pressure on, and batters who looked likely failed to build the partnerships their side needed.
Way top scored with 59, and Chris Burkett contributed 30, with Leigh Brennan taking three wickets for the Dragons.
Failure to bat 80 overs was not what Romsey wanted, and Warren Kelly 29 and Vernon 26 not out added valuable runs before Kelly was bowled by Jamie Taylor shortly before stumps.
It will need a minor miracle for the Redbacks to pull this one out of the fire.
Current ladder: Gisborne 42.6 points, Romsey 42, Sunbury United 23.1, Sunbury Kangaroos 22.7, Woodend 22.2, Macedon 15.6, Rupertswood 9.4, Diggers Rest 3.7.
WOODEND FIGHT BACK
Young opener Harry Lawson rescued Woodend from a shaky position, then the side’s bowlers captured five Sunbury United wickets before stumps to leave this crucial game in the balance.
Woodend’s batting failure can be highlighted by Lawson watching five partners depart for scores of 3, 0, 3, 6, and 4 with paceman Fabian Fernando among the wickets.
After losing to Sunbury Kangaroos in a thriller, Woodend desperately need the six points from this encounter.
Hayden Ingleton took two wickets, and the other bowlers chipped in as United’s top order capitulated.
In the other McIntyre Cup matches, bottom side Diggers Rest compiled 9/229 against Macedon, and 15 wickets fell in the Rupertswood versus Sunbury Kangaroos encounter.
Adam Fearnley’s 5-13 from 15 overs for Kangaroos was one of the day’s highlight performances with the ball.
United’s Cody McDorman sent down 31 overs to take 6-28 against Woodend in McIntyre 2nds.
RICHARDSON 135
There were several centuries on Saturday, with Romsey’s McIntyre 2nds captain Jed Richardson leading by example by compiling 135 (14 fours) in a prolonged innings against Gisborne.
The Redbacks finished at 8/300.
In Johnstone Shield 2nds, Riddell opener Michael Day scored 104 with 18 boundaries but the Bombers were dismissed for 183 with Ruoertswood ending the day in a strong position.
Riddell’s Nirmal Singh Brar scored 104 in Club North, and Manprett Randkawa made 100 for St Anthonys.
Heavy rain overnight was welcomed throughout much of the GDCA area.
Malmsbury’s teams were successful, with the Jensen 1sts side scoring 4/216 (captain Matt Cox 82 not out) against United, and the Green lineup defeating Woodend.
Malmsbury Gold received a forfeit from Lancefield.
Scores from Gisborne District Cricket Association’s matches on Saturday were:
Mcintyre Cup 1sts: Romsey 190 (B. Way 59, C. Burkett 30 – L.; Brennan 3-51) versus Gisborne 1/58 (W. Kelly 29, R. Vernon 26 n.o.); Macedon v Diggers Rest 9/229 (A. Hassett 56, A. Knight 31 – T. Berzins 3-36, C. Howlett 3-48 ); Woodend 136 (H. Lawson 78 v – F. Fernando 4-28) v Sunbury United (H. Ingleton 2-18); Rupertswood 105 (M. Howell 58 – A. Fearnley 5-13, M. Fox 3-32).
Johnstone Shield: Aintree 130 (N. Woods 5-45,J.Connell 3-31) v Broadford 4/51; Eyensbury 82 (N. Dent 5-17, S. Mudiyanselage 4-21) v East Sunbury 0-24; Kilmore v Wallan – no score listed.; Riddell a bye.
McIntyre 2nds: Sunbury Kangaroos 9/141 (R. Davis 4-29, Z. Borg 3-28) v Rupertswood 2/115., Romsey 8/300 (Jed Richardson 135, P. Brady 49, J.East 32 n.o. – D. Scobell 3-43) v Gisborne; Diggers Rest 277 v Macedon; Woodend 149 (B. Sliwezynski 41 n.o. – C. McDorman 6-28) v Sunbury United.
Johnstone 2nds: Riddell 183 (M. Day 104 – A. Pizaro 6-22) v Rupertswood 1/34; Broadford 114 (B. Hickey 30 – V. Chawla 3-16, M. Singh 3-31) v Aintree 2/50; East Sunbury 7/242 v Aintree; Wallan 159 (Z. Bell 44, A. Potocnik 36 – B. Proctor 3-25, L. Partridge 3-31) v Kilmore 1/10.
Jensen Shield 1sts: Malmsbury 4/216 c.c. (M. Cox 82 n.o., M. Pruden 36) d Sunbury United 146; Romsey 74 (H. Lehner 5-26) lost to Lancefield 5/78 (Lehner 25 n.o.); Aintree 206 (S. Bhardwaj 57, G. Sohal 41 – N. O’Connor 4-26) d Hanging Rock 119 (L. Vincent 35 – D. Vasisht 5-19); St Anthonys 8/250 (M. Randhawa 100, M. Aujla 95) d Melton South 5/234 (A. Yates 70 n.o., A. George 54).
Jensen 2nds: Sunbury 8/161 c.c lost to Blackwood 4/163; Kyneton 6/178 c.c. d Kilmore 121 (R. Audehm 31 n.o. – L. Sheahan 3-27); Trentham 8/186 c.c. d Melton South 174 (no individual details); Melton 152 (B. Chawla 47, M. Sell 46 – N. Johnson 3-15) d Lancefield 5/141; Aintree 153 (M. Braddy 4-17) lost to Rupertswood 4/157 (A. Morrison 65, S. Silva 50 n.o. – L. Bhukya 3-28.
Club North: Riddell 6/222 (N. Sing Brar 104 ret., T. Greenwood 47) d Gisborne 6/180 (T. Mouslay 54); Hanging Rock 5/175 (M. Shanahan 89, M. Fisher 52 n.o. lost to Wallan 5/176 (B. Bishop 61, D. Curran 44); Malmsbury Gold d Lancefield on forfeit; Malmsbury Green 4/131 (C. Ganim 46, A. Ogden 28 n.o.) d Woodend 8/124 c.c. (D. Ransom 45).
Club South: Melton Centrals White 8/144 c.c.lost to Woodend 3/146; St Anthonys 6/211 c.c. (N. Khan 72) d Rupertswood 133 (M. Bergamasco 66).
