Ky bats fire

Castlemaine now face a crucial match todaynts thursdaynte against Northern United if it wants another crack at the Kyabram outfit in tomorrow's clash for the Neil Pollock Memorial trophy.

Ohlsen's score of 111 was dominant as the Tongala batsman led his side to a 47-run victory.

Ohlsen, 20, is one of the Kyabram District Cricket Association's shining lights.

But the game was not as one-sided as the final score may indicate.

Castlemaine won the toss and elected to bowl on the Queen Elizabeth Oval pitch, which paid early dividends.

With the score on six, Castlemaine's Brenton Jones captured the wicket of pinch hitter Clint Trimby for three.

Ohlsen went to the crease and combined with John Mann, 39, to push the score to 76, before Mann was run out.

A 99-run partnership between Ohlsen and Paul Ranson, 32, helped Kyabram take a stronghold on the match.

Hard hitting late in the innings lifted Kyabram's score to 8-237 off the 50 allotted overs.

Chris Edwards was the pick of the bowlers for Castlemaine taking 3-54 off 11 overs.

The run chase began well for Castlemaine as openers Ian Garsed, 31, and Darren Hinck, 11, took the score to 35, before Hinck became the first of Paul Ranson's five wickets.

Ranson was easily Kyabram's best bowler taking 5-37, during his 13 overs.

The match was evenly poised as Castlemaine reached 4-171, but the loss of five wickets for 13 runs, was the Maine's demise.

They eventually ran out of overs to finish 9-191 at the close of play.

Jamie Allan top-scored for Castlemaine with a half century and received some great support from Garsed and Ticky McNeil, 34.

Murray Valley takes on Kyabram at Eaglehawk today, with the match a must-win for the third placed Valley.

Separated by only 1.75 points from second-placed Castlemaine, Murray Valley will know tonight whether it is playing in the division one final.

Despite a century and a four wicket haul by Wimmera Mallee's Armand Duxson, Northern United held on to win a tight contest by six runs.

Batting first on the Canterbury Park wicket, Northern United made a good start with opener Nick Cail falling five short of his half century.

Sitting precariously at 3-74, Northern United rebounded through Adrian Carr, 35, Anthony Lawry, 53 and Jamie Sexton, 44.

Tight bowling by Northern United in the late overs kept Wimmera Mallee's total to 9-260.

Duxon bowled superbly under pressure to capture 4-67 of 13 overs.

Not content with his bowling performance, Duxson opened the batting and set about the run chase with Lachie Jones.

The pair put on a first wicket partnership of 128 before Jones, 40, was dismissed by Nick Cail.

The runs kept coming for Wimmera Mallee and at 3-231, Northern United's total looked under serious threat.

But in his second spell, Adrian Carr produced a superb performance, claiming five of the last six wickets as Wimmera Mallee was dismissed for 254. Murray Valley gave itself the best possible chance of making the finals after a 108-run thumping of Campaspe.

Murray Valley won the toss and elected to bowl at North Bendigo and proceeded to take wickets at regular intervals of the match.

At one stage Campaspe were reeling at 5-82, before John Varcoe and Matt Key, 40, set about posting a competitive score.

Varcoe remained unbeaten on 75 as his team crashed around him, eventually all out for 198.

The run chase was never in doubt for Murray Valley as they demoralised a Campaspe bowling attack.

Opener Luke Carter plundered the bowling all day, producing the highest score so far this week, with a magnificent knock of 181.

He was well supported by Byron Smith, 52, and Justin Elliott, 59, as Murray Valley reached 3-306 at the end of the day. nts Division two.nte Gisborne defeated Deniliquin by 39 runs in a low scoring match at Wade Street in division two of Bendigo Bank Country Week.

The pitch was difficult for batting and after winning the toss, Deniliquin took full advantage and chose to bowl.

Andrew Holloway, Michael Norman and Brad Todd all took two wickets a piece as Gisborne were all out for 162.

Dan Carroll, 31, and Warren Else, 28, were the only Gisborne batsmen to provide any resistance.

After a good start by Deniliquin's opening batsmen Darren Finn, 26, and Tim Bennett, 14, Gisborne's bowlers wrestled the match in their favour.

Three wickets each to Brenton Hanson, Nick Ash and Steven Bell saw Deniliquin stumble to be all out for 123.

Cohuna bounced off a loss on Tuesday to defeat South Leigh by 28-runs.

Batting first at Bell Oval, South Leigh never looked comfortable posting a modest total of 161.

Opener M. Stoneham was the pick of South Leigh's batsman with a competant knock of 59.

Cohuna found themselves in early trouble when gun batsmen Kurt Brereton and number three Dale Robertson were both back in the pavillion with the score still at 0.

Bruce Milthorpe held the innings together for Cohuna, until things looked all but gone with the side at 7-66.

Greg Goulding, 53, and Drew Crilly, 36, combined for a 68 run partnership before the partnership was broken at 134.

With the match up for grabs, Joel McGillivray strode to the crease and compiled a well made 30 not-out to help steer his side to victory.