DISTRICT
FLINDERS has snatched the final place in the MPCA District top four after knocking over Heatherhill in the final home and away game of the season.
Mt Martha held onto fourth place going into the final round, while both Heatherhill and Flinders sat outside waiting to pounce.
The Reds couldn’t get the job done against Delacombe Park, giving the Hills and the Sharks the opportunity to grab the final spot.
It went down to the wire but the Sharks got there in the end with nine balls to spare.
Heatherhill batted first at BA Cairns Reserve and didn’t get away to a great start, losing its first five wickets for 54 runs.
The tail had some wag however with Brett Maxwell scoring 48, Matt Meagher 40, Steven O’Donnell 23 and Zach Horsley 20, giving the Hills 8/178 off 40 overs – a very competitive total.
Flinders openers Tom Clements (76) and Andrew Power (33) got the home side away to a great start with an opening stand of 116, before Mitch Stansborough (30) and Shane Beggs (21) got them home with six wickets in hand.
Delacombe Park finished in second place on the ladder and in beating Mt Martha on Saturday, booted them from the top four.
The Reds could only muster 119 in their 39.5 overs. Dean Blight, Andrew Stapleton and Ricky Ramsdale all took two wickets each.
In reply, the Parkers scored 8/121 with one over to spare, a returning Joel Malcolm top scoring with 49, while Rob Fisher hit 28.
Seaford made it two big scalps in as many weeks, this time beating Main Ridge, despite Shaun Foster scoring 100.
The Ridge won the toss and sent Seaford in. The Tigers made 220 with Chris Cleef top scoring with 67.
The Ridge looked to be coasting at 1/119 and again at 2/167, before losing 7/18, including Foster for a ton and Holmes for 40.
Foster’s past five innings have been 142, 76, 70, 73, 35 and 100.
Red Hill did what was required to beat Rosebud.
The Buds batted first and made 9/119 in 40 overs. The Hillmen got there with three wickets in hand and one over to spare. Rheede Hopgood top scored with 45.
Fittingly, Rye and Boneo drew in their match at RJ Rowley Reserve.
Boneo won the toss and batted first, scoring 6/142 from its 40 overs.
With scores locked together with one ball remaining in the match, Cooper Morks was run out and the Demons were all out for 142.
Regardless of the result, Boneo finished on the bottom of the ladder and will be relegated to Sub District next season.
Baden Powell got the job done against Seaford Tigers, winning with plenty of overs to spare.
The Braves won the toss and sent the Tigers into bat, where they made 9/166 in 40 overs with Aaron Mountey top scoring with 68. The Braves then responded with 4/167 in 37 overs. Mountey was the best of the Tigers with the ball also, claiming 3/41.
This weekends’ semi-finals will see Red Hill host Flinders and Delacombe Park host Main Ridge.
First published in the Mornington News – 7 March 2017
