Rakip smashes century
Division three
By Sam Laffy Bunyip (290) def. Buln (176)
Adam Rakip enjoyed the small confines of the Bunyip back oval immensely on Saturday, smashing his way to 119 to put the finishing touches on Bunyip’s 114-run win over Buln.
In pursuit of 176, the Bunyip top order struggled against Sam Reid’s incisive bowling early on, and at one stage the scoreboard read 5-43, and victory seemed a long way off.
However, Brett McNamara (53) and Arthur Begg (an unbeaten 59) helped to steady the innings.
Reid helped himself to a haul of 5-53 from his 18 overs, but once Rakip began blasting sixes there was nothing the bowlers could do. Helping himself to 11 sixes, Rakip blitzed the bowlers to all parts on his way to a career-high score.
Pratt enjoys success
Ellinbank (8-256) def. Drouin (143) On a day where batsmen well and truly dominated the bowlers in division three, Lachlan Pratt enjoyed the most success of all, smashing 147 to lead Ellinbank to a 113-run win over Drouin.
Chasing 143, Pratt lost his opening partner early last weekend but on Saturday found valuable support from Nick Van Steensel. Together the pair added 115 - with Pratt dominating the stand - and once he helped his side pass Drouin’s total he began to branch out in his stroke making.
Having made two ducks in division one in his past two knocks, Pratt found division three more to his liking, belting 15 boundaries and dominating the bowlers on his way to a maiden century.
Allsop goes large
Yarragon (448) def. Iona (190) Having dropped down to division three to captain Yarragon this season, John Allsop continued his astonishing run of form with a belligerent 146 that lead the Panthers to a huge 258-run win over Iona.
Chasing 190, Yarragon were in trouble early on at 4-70 with Mick Taylor (3-54) in fine form with the ball.
However, once Allsop strode to the crease there was little the Swamp Tiger’s bowlers could do. Smashing 18 fours and six massive sixes, Allsop again showed that he has lost none of the hitting power that saw him dominate division one for season after season.
Harlow (85) and Buckland (72*) chimed in with similarly dismissive knocks that contained a host of hoicks over the fence as the runs mounted up and up.
Parkers miss chance
Jindivick (8-239) def. Western Park (146)
Western Park endured a long day in the field against Jindivick as they slumped to a 93-run loss, with missed chances seeing any hopes of victory dashed.
Having prised out the wicket of Winstone (who made a stubborn 26), Angus Emery tempted Kyan Boadle (who at this stage was batting confidently) into a loose stroke only for Josh Hickman to put down the chance at deep mid-wicket.
He received another life soon after thanks to a missed stumping, and Boadle made the Warriors pay with an aggressive 80.
Matt Cheshire chimed in with a quick 30 towards the end of the day, and the Jumping Jacks successfully made their way to 8-239 at stumps.