COUNTRY WEEK
THE Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association failed to have an impact in last week’s Country Week carnival for the first time in memory.
The MPCA finished in sixth place on the table with just one win for the carnival.
That win came in round one when the MPCA rolled South West at Melbourne University.
Sorrento’s Corey Harris made 82 and Moorooduc’s Bobby Wilson an unbeaten 75 in that first game when the team scored 3/260. Long Island’s Justin Bridgeman and Mornington’s Luke Popov snared two wickets each as the MPCA rolled South West for 225.
In Round two, despite making 9/249 with Carrum’s Shaun Foster scoring 59 and Crib Point’s Rob Hearn 44, the MPCA was beaten by eventual championship winner, Sale-Maffra, who made 290. Carrum teenager Liam Dobson snared 3/32.
Mornington Peninsula was good with the bat again in round three, making 8/245. POB’s Matty Hyden top scored with 83, Bobby Wilson hit 71 and Justin Bridgeman 50. However, Murray Valley was up for the challenge and got the runs eight wickets down. Main Ridge’s Gareth Wyatt and POB’s Adrian Jones took two wickets each.
MPCA was smashed in the final game by Bendigo, the eventual runner-up. Bendigo made 8/280 before MPCA were rolled for 179. Wilson took 3/20 and Hyden 2/45. Shaun Foster top scored with 43 and Matt Foon hit 35.
The Development Squad fared slightly better but still failed to make the finals.
Long Island’s Aaron Paxton made 55 in the first match against Hamilton while Hastings’ Luke Hewitt made 25. Hewitt was also the best of the bowlers with 2/22.
In round two, Seaford’s Damien Lawrence scored an unbeaten 100 and Sorrento’s Leigh Poholke hit an unbeaten 79. Brad Trotter from Pearcedale was good also with 58.
It was good enough to see them beat Ferntree Gully by 50 runs. Hewitt was the pick of the bowlers with 3/31, POB’s Jon Forrest snared 3/49 and Lawrence 2/36.
The MPCA was well beaten in round three against Ballarat. Sorrento’s Liam O’Connor had a good game, scoring 38 and snaring 2/25.
In the final match, MPCA was well beaten by Warnambool. O’Connor top scored again with 53 while Forest scored 41 and Paxton 33.
O’Connor also snared 3/44.
Warnambool defeated Ballarat in the final.
