WANDELLA kept its hopes to claim the Northern District Cricket Association A Grade double chance alive with the club’s first win this season against Nondies.
Peter Moore and Brodey Farley helped guide the defending premiers to an eight-wicket win against their Cohuna-based opponents on Saturday.
Going into the match separated by 16 points, Nondies could have wrapped up second spot on the ladder with a win.
However, electing to bat first backfired for the home side, with Moore claiming four wicket to bundle Nondies out for 106 in the 35th over.
Harrison Keely (28) and Josh Novoselek (21) wee the only Nondies batsmen to surpass 20 runs in an innings dominated by the bowlers.
Wandella looked in trouble early, with the Bombers 3/18 at one stage, before Moore (21) and Farley (47) united for a 44-run stand to get the chase back on track.
Farley was dismissed with Wandella needing two runs to win, but was one of three wickets to fall with the score on 104.
Sam and Liam Radcliffe helped guide the Bombers to a fifth win of the season, reducing the gap between second and third on the ladder to four points.
In the other match of the round, a century from Jackson McEwen and three wickets from Todd Gelletly helped Leitchville/Gunbower record a 65-run win against Barham/Koondrook.
Sent in to bat first, Leitchville/Gunbower dominated with the bat, with Jones (111 not out) and Adam Deccico (60) leading the way to help the undefeated ladder leaders score 4/268 off 45 overs.
Marc O’Neill (46 not out), Warren Lolicato (39) and Shane Guerra (30) helped Barham/Koondrook surpass 200 runs in reply, with Gelletly (three wickets) leading with the ball for the visitors.
Leader loses ground
NONDIES’ second B Grade loss of the season has intensified the battle between the top three sides in the competition.
The Cohuna-based side’s loss to Wandella reduced the margin between both teams to 10 points.
Sent in to bat first, Nondies was on track to record a big score, thanks to the efforts of Rhys Free (29) and Lachie Harbinson (28).
However, three wickets each to Matt Wilkinson, Nick Whitfield and Tyler Schmidt help dismiss Nondies for 131 in the 35th over.
In a tense run chase, Luke Murray (45) and Wilkinson (36) led the way for the Bombers, with the home side passing the victory target with four wickets in hand.
Ryan Holmes took three wickets for Nondies, who hold a one-win advantage over second and third spot on the ladder.
The battle for the top four took another twist, with reigning premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower recording a six-run win against Barham/Koondrook.
Electing to bat first, Matt Hawken (64) led the way to help Leitchville/Gunbower score 179 off 39.1 overs. Cody Storm was Barham/Koondrook’s best bowlers, claiming three scalps.
The border side struggled early in its response, before Wes O’Neill (45) and Corey Barrington (26) led a lower order revival.
However, Barham/Koondrook had no answer for Mitchell McEwen, who claimed four wickets to dismiss Barham/Koondrook for 173 off the second-last ball of its innings.
In the final match of the round, Conhua United boosted its chances to finish fourth on the ladder at the end of the season with a 55-run win against Kerang Fairley Town.
Sent in to bat first, Jordan White (40 not out) and Andrew Brown (29) helped the visitors score 8/166 off its 40 overs.
Laine Gibbons, Daniel Higgs and Justin Moon took two wickets each for Kerang Fairley Town.
Despite the efforts of Gibbons (27), Kanvas Varker and White – who took three wickets each – helped dismiss the home side for 111 in the 23rd over.
* UMPIRES for Saturday, January 16
A Grade – Wandella v Cohuna United: Greg Miles; Leitchville/Gunbower v Nondies: Andy Farley.
B Grade – Barham/Koondrook v Kerang Fairley Town: Colin Davies; Cohuna United v Wandella: Neil Bradley; Nondies v Leitchville/Gunbower: Tim Varker.
