PROVINCIAL
THE Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association Provincial season is set for an exciting finish with only five teams now a realistic chance to play finals.
Baxter, which sits at the top of the table on 102 points, is the only team assured of a finals berth, regardless of the fact of whether it loses its final two games.
Peninsula Old Boys and Langwarrin are locked together on 90 points, a game clear of Mornington (78) and an outright win clear of Mt Eliza (70). The aim of the Old Boys and Kangas now is to lock away a home final.
POB faces Baxter at Baxter and Crib Point at home in the final round one-day game to end its home and away season. There would be no great surprises if they won both of these matches.
Langwarrin finishes with two home games, and both are tricky. It tackles Mornington and Sorrento. Its win against Mt Eliza on Saturday certainly placed them in the box seat and it deserves to taste finals action.
Mornington has Langwarrin this weekend and its final game is against Moorooduc at home.
Mt Eliza can’t afford to lose either of its final two games. It faces Sorrento at David McFarlan Reserve and then finishes with Somerville at home.
So the stage has been set for a thrilling race to the line.
Langwarrin made things difficult for Mt Eliza to make it after yet another outstanding day with the ball.
The Kangas pressure with the ball and in the field has been a feature of its game this season and given it set the Mounties 240 for victory, it was able to attack from the word go.
At one stage the Mounties were 2/0. A short time later it was 6/53.
A cameo between Justin Grant (56) and Lyle House (40) halted things for a while before the Mounties were finally bowled out in the 52nd over for 135.
Skipper Travis Campbell was superb, snaring 5/24 off 12 overs, while Mal Coutts finished with 3/18 after having 2/0 at one stage.
Mornington was looking for an outright win against Long Island but it failed in its attempt to do so.
The Dogs made 7/220 in 60 overs on day one of the match and had the Islanders 3/52 overnight. Long island added just 80 runs before being bowled out for 130.
The Dogs then whipped up another 80 runs before sending the Islanders back in with plenty of overs to play. Mornington fell short of the outright by three wickets, Long Island holding on to be 7/166 at stumps.
Peninsula Old Boys cruised to victory against Somerville.
Chasing 222 for victory, the Old Boys past it eight wickets down with nine overs to play.
Dylan O’Malley opened with 52, Eivion Bowen contributed 33, Will Crowder hit 50 and Jon Forrest was unbeaten on 29 to hand the Old Boys the victory.
Nick Marshall was the pick of the Somerville bowlers with 3/36.
Pearcedale scored an amazing victory against Sorrento.
Defending just 129, the Panthers rolled the Sharks for just 115.
Chris Dew was superb, snaring 4/26 from 21 overs, while Shayne Gillings picked up 3/31 from 15.
CJ King top scored for the Sharks with 36, while Corey Harris made 36.
First published in the Mornington News – 14 February 2017
