Plenty Valley has consigned Roxburgh Park Broadmeadows to the bottom of the north-east ladder in Victorian Sub-District cricket.
In a rematch of last year’s north-west grand final, the final result was the same, a Bats win.
After making 208 on day one in a less-than-convincing batting display, the Bats were still favoured to win their fourth match for the season.
Things didn’t start well for the Falcons, who slumped to 2-15 with both Jedidiah Kanagasabapathy and Daniel Patrick falling cheaply.
In fact, partnerships proved difficult to come by as the Falcons struggled to have an impact on the scoreboard.
It became 3-34 when opener Kurtley Brandt was out for 17 and 4-38 when he was followed back to the sheds by Mitchell Strieff (0).
Falcons captain-coach Adam Yates and Lester Herathge managed to settle the side in the middle of the order with a partnership of 30, which proved to be the biggest of the innings.
No. 7 Cameron D’Cruz offered some resistance late in the Falcons’ innings but struggled to find someone to stick with him once Yates was out for 46.
The Falcons were all out for 139, with D’Cruz the last out for 32.
Three bowlers did the bulk of the bowling for the Bats.
Justin Jaensch took two early wickets and came back later on to pick up two more, including the prized scalp of Yates.
Sanjaya Chathuranga took four wickets and Sean Ayres one, as the pair shut down the Roxburgh Park Broadmeadows innings.
But it wasn’t all good for the Bats, with Sunan Rubaiyat injuring his hamstring.
The Bats are now second on the ladder, only percentage behind Kew.
They play third-placed Balwyn in a one-day match in Balwyn on Saturday.
The Falcons only have one win from the year and are 15 points and percentage outside the top six.
They play Ivanhoe in a one-dayer at Ivanhoe Park on Saturday, the last match before the Christmas break.
Both sides will play in the third round of VSDCA’s T20 competition on Tuesday night.
The unbeaten Falcons meet Kew at Lakeside Drive Reserve, while Plenty Valley is away to Coburg.
