A rain-interrupted day proved tough for some batsmen to handle as teams scrambled to beat the weather and their opposition in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association on Saturday.
But persistent clubs ensured not one Barclay or Money Shield match ended without a result as a round of two-dayers concluded with Bundoora (Barclay Shield) and Lalor Stars (Money Shield) among the big winners.
Bundoora may have waited until round four to win a game but has bounced from 12th to sixth in the last two games and now its 12 points are just a win out of the top four.
Defending 190 set the previous week, Bundoora manufactured the winning wicket in the nick of time to beat North Eltham Wanderers (185) by five runs.
The points appeared to be heading Bundoora’s way as the Wanderers fell to 6-79.
But Jack Young (55) batted with the tail to put North Eltham in a winning position. Shupinger Taggar (2-42) removed Young at 8-152 before Ross Adams (4-46) returned to the attack to snare the final two wickets and a narrow win. Ryan Eley finished with 3-41.
At Lower Eltham, Epping’s 190 was not enough to win as the home team reached 6-194 late in the day. Justin Whitcher (76no) and Callum Still (64) were top scorers as Lower Eltham reached the target in the 71st over. Blake Dobbin (3-26) was Epping’s only multiple wicket-taker.
At Coventry Oval, Diamond Creek’s modest total of 124 was more than enough as Old Paradians-St Francis capitulated for 49.
Michael Hansen took 7-11 as just one Paradians batsman made it to double figures.
Around the division, Riverside beat Plenty, Research-Eltham Collegians beat Macleod, and Rosanna beat Mernda.
Diamond Creek (34) leads the table from Lower Eltham (30), ahead of Research-Eltham Collegians (24) and the battle for fourth headed by Rosanna (18) from Macleod in fifth on percentage (18). Then there are four teams on 12 points: Bundoora, Old Paradians-
St Francis, Riverside and Epping.
In Money Shield, Lalor Stars held their one-game advantage in the top four as the top five teams all won at the weekend.
Lalor had 122 on the board in reply to Bundoora United’s 79 but there was no chance of pursuing an outright because of conditions at WA Smith Reserve.
South Morang remains the only winless team in the division after being undone by a last-wicket partnership for North Eltham Wanderers. Defending 159, South Morang had the Wanderers 5-39 and 9-137. But Austin Mann (22no) and Luke Anderson (10) produced a 27-run stand to take North Eltham to 9-164.
Around the division, Eltham (8-164) beat Camrea Taipans (141), Greensborough (3-151) beat Banyule (138), Montmorency (5-228) beat Lower Plenty (7-226), and Heidelberg (142) beat Hurstbridge (99).
