Sedgwick and Mandurang enhanced their Emu Valley Cricket Association division one premiership credentials with impressive victories at the weekend.
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The round six matches were played on Saturday and Sunday and it was flag favourite Sedgwick who scored maximum points when it defeated reigning premier Golden Gully outright.
Sedgwick paceman Jordan Ilsley set up the big win for the Rams with a brilliant spell on day one.
The Cobras made a bright start with the bat to be 0-37, but the dismissals of Mick Galvin (25) and Travis Eckhardt (14) in quick succession changed the game.
Ilsley entered the attack and the Cobras crumbled. At one stage he had 4-0 before finishing with figures of 6-26 as Golden Gully fell from 0-37 to all out for 93 inside 35 overs.
The Rams raced to 6-134 declared off 25 overs. Matt Dwyer smashed 67 off 69 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes.
Golden Gully’s second innings was a similar tale to its first.
Galvin (33) and Eckhardt (32) again made a solid start to take the score to 60.
Once again their departures in quick succession sparked a collapse.
The Cobras lost 10-84 to be all out for 144. That left Sedgwick requiring 104 to win outright and the Rams had few troubles in racing to 2-110 off just 18 overs.
Mandurang scored a hard-fought 27-run win over Maiden Gully.
Patient half-centuries from Luke Rafferty and Phil Berry were the highlights of Mandurang’s total of 212 against a disciplined Maiden Gully attack on Saturday.
Rafferty made 74 off 125 balls and Berry compiled 73 off 192 balls. The duo combined for a third-wicket partnership of 141.
From 2-197, Mandurang lost 8-15 to be all out for 212 with three overs still to bat.
For Maiden Gully, Rob Brown claimed 4-18 off 14 overs, while Shane Rabbitt took 4-62 off 18 overs.
In reply, Maiden Gully overcame the loss of two early wickets to be in a strong position at 3-104.
However, Brown’s departure for a brisk 47 swung the game back in Mandurang’s favour. Gully lost 3-9 to be 6-113.
At 8-141 the game looked safely in Mandurang’s hands, but Maiden Gully veteran Leon Beatty and tailender Brett Haw had other ideas.
Beatty and Haw added 42 for the ninth wicket to give their side a sniff of victory.
When Beatty fell for 42, Haw quickly followed for 26 and Gully fell 27 runs short.
Beau Roy-Clements was the hero with the ball for Mandurang, taking 5-48 off 18.4 overs. Adam Reaper took 3-61 off 24 overs.
Travis O’Connell’s unbeaten 208 led West Bendigo to an upset win over United.
O’Connell’s innings sparked West Bendigo’s huge total of 7-392 off 75 overs.
United tried hard with the bat on Sunday but was eventually dismissed for 244. Shannon Murphy took five wickets for West Bendigo.
Spring Gully retained its unbeaten status after defeating Marong.
The Crows looked in trouble when they were bowled out for just 139 on Saturday.
Byron Perrin (45) was the only batsman to find form as Tom Wilson (4-45) did the damage with the ball for Marong. In reply, no Marong batsman reached 20 as the Panthers were bundled out for 104 in 56 overs.
Spring Gully took advantage of some batting practice on Sunday.
Rhys Webb smashed an unbeaten 107 in the Crows total of 5-216.
