SEVEN points separates the Northern District Cricket Association’s top three A Grade teams after Nondies defeated reigning premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower on Saturday.
The Cohuna-based team’s eight-run win moved the 2015/16 semi-finalists to third on the table with two wins from the first four rounds.
Lower-order batting from Rhys Thrum (70) and spirited efforts from Josh Novoselek and Nick Gilbert – who claimed two wickets each – set up the victory and Leitchville/Gunbower’s second loss in a row.
Electing to bat first, the home side’s middle and lower order helped rebuild the innings after Thomas Dehne (four wickets) claimed many of Nondies’ top batsmen.
Thrum helped rescue the innings, with Nondies falling for 165 in the 43rd over.
Casey McNaught (67) and Oliver O’Shea (27) did a similar job for the visitors after the early loss of Kurt Brereton, moving the side to within 71 runs of victory with nine wickets in hand.
However, Nondies’ bowlers and fielders took control of the match, with two late run-outs seeing the visitors post 9/157 off their 45 overs.
Across at Kerang, Wandella recorded its first win since the 2015/16 preliminary final, accounting for Nondies by 97 runs.
The decision to send the Bombers in to bat first almost paid off for United with the early loss of Shannon Burton, but captain, Isaac Hogan (64) and opener, Michael Runciman (60) combined for a 117-run second-wicket partnership.
Greg Dickson (49) also benefitted from the start, with the hosts reaching 6/211 of their 45 overs.
United struggled in its reply, slumping to 3/17 and failing to recover as last season’s preliminary finalists were dismissed for 114 in the 35th over.
Liam Radcliffe (four wickets) and Matt Wilkinson (three wickets) did the damage for the Bombers, with Ian Mathers (34 not out) the best of United’s batsmen.
Close finish at Koondrook
TIGHT bowling helped Wandella defeat Barham/Koondrook by six runs in a close NDCA B Grade encounter on Saturday.
Batting first, the Bombers struggled to gain momentum until late in the innings, when Tony Banfield (45) and Russell Bott (24 not out) combined for a 73-run sixth-wicket partnership to set the hosts 143 runs to win.
The border side was on track to reach the total thanks to a 57-run opening wicket stand between Garry Lolicato (27) and Cody Storm (25), but lost all 10 wickets for 79 runs to be dismissed for 136 in the 36th over.
Liam Jardine and Cody Shipp led the way with the ball, claiming three wickets each.
Across at Cohuna, Aiden Thompson (85) and Keegan Ryan (84) produced a 150-run second-wicket stand to guide Nondies to a nine-wicket win against local rivals, Cohuna United.
Electing to bowl first paid off for Nondies, who dismissed Untied for 129 in the 40th over thanks to three wickets from Ryan.
Darren Hancock (44) and Ashley Waterson (24) stood out at the top of the order for United, but the side lost its last six wickets for 24 runs.
Ryan and Thompson came together with the score being 1/20 and saw Nondies to the win. Clinton Edge claimed three wickets for United, with Brent Toma and Callum Neil also chipping in with two wickets each.
In the final match of the round, Peiter Van Der Kooij (119) helped Leitchville/Gunbower record a 195-run win against Kerang Fairley Town.
The composite side’s decision to bat first looked to have backfired early, with the side 4/47 and 5/90 – thanks to the bowling of Denis Bacon, Mark Higgs and Mitchell Lake – but a 150-run stand between Van Der Kooij and Sam Colvin (53) saw the hosts post 9/258 from its 40 overs.
The Kerang-based side struggled in reply, falling for 63 in the 31st over. Ryan Prendergast was the pick of the bowlers, claiming three wickets.
