SUB-DISTRICT
TOOTGAROOK will play Hastings for the second week in succession after comfortably booking its place in the MPCA Sub District finals on Saturday.
The Frogs needed to win its final match of the season against the ladder leaders to assure themselves a place in the finals.
The teams will meet again in the semi-final this Saturday and Sunday, while in the other semi-final, Ballam Park and Frankston YCW will go head-to-head.
Whilst Hastings would have liked to have won its last home and away game, the prize for a win was much, much bigger for the home side.
Tootgarook won the toss and batted first and it was Travis French, who did the damage, scoring 99 opening the innings to help his side to a defendable total of 7/167 after 40 overs.
It was the second time this season that French had scored in the 90s, unfortunately for him falling short of the magical three figures.
Todd Harnett (27) and Matt Whelan (24) played their part in the win.
Luke Hewitt was the pick of the Hastings bowlers with 3/28 off 10 overs, while Isuru Dias snared 2/43 from his 10.
The Hastings top order all got starts but when Robbie Hearn was gone for 21 with the score on 44, a collapse sent the visitors on the back foot. Jake Hewitt went 10 runs later for a duck and with the score still on 54, Nathan Hunt was sent packing for 24.
Mitch Floy (29) and Luke Hewitt (27) got things back on track and took the score to 3/92, however, they quickly lost 4/24 and the Frogs were home.
Zac Stephenson was the pick of the Tootgarook bowlers with 3/26 off nine overs, Whelan picked-up 3/26 off 7.5 overs and Paul Stephenson took 3/38 from 10. The Blues were all out for 140, 28 runs shy of the target.
Dromana finished the season on a high, beating Carrum. The Hoppers batted first and made 7/184 with Jedd Savage scoring 44, Mark Whitehead 34, Andrew Thomposn 33 and Zac Klan 32.
Cory Foster and Brett Moulton picked-up two wickets each for the Lions.
In reply, the Lions were in the hunt early at 1/70, however, losing 6/17, destroyed any chance of winning. Zach Dent top scored with 31. Adam Ciavarella snared 4/46 from 10 overs while Jye Voelkl picked up 4/28, giving him 38 wickets for the season.
Ballam Park hasn’t had the ideal preparation going into a finals series, losing its final two games of the season.
On Saturday, the Knights handed Skye their first win of the season. After batting first and making just 6/124. Skye responded with 8/127 with an over to spare. David Roach top scored for the Knights with 37 and Zac Pedderson opened with 27. Once again, David Cross (0) and Stuart Plunkett (12) contributed little with the bat and the rest of the team failed to respond.
Only a team performance will see the Knights get themselves into a Sub District Grand Final.
Balnarring finished the season with a win, thrashing Carrum Downs.
The Cougars were rolled for 119 before the Saints scored 5/127 in 20 overs.
First published in the Mornington News – 7 March 2017
