By Tara Murray
Westmeadows had a mixed weekend in Victorian Turf Cricket Association Tony Issacs Shield Division 1 north.
The Warriors’ weekend started well when they handed Craigieburn its first lost of the season.
Craigieburn made 140 before Westmeadows made it to 7-143.
Injured Warriors captain-coach Tarek Moughanie said it was a good win, but they were lucky to get over the line.
“It was a bit tight in the end,” he said. “If Craigieburn had have held their catches, it could have been a different story.”
Danny Law top scored for the Warriors with a half century, but had a bit of luck, while Darrel Brown and Chinthaka Jayasinghe made handy contributions.
Photo Gallery: Westmeadows vs Craigieburn
It was a different story on Sunday against St Francis de Sales, with the Warriors made to pay for a bad performance with the bat.
Moughanie said they were always going to struggle to win after making 97. At one stage, the Warriors lost 6-20.
“We were 0-40 off six overs before we were bundled out for 97,” he said.
Moughanie said the bowlers fought hard, but in the end they didn’t have enough runs on the board. Law took 2-14 off four overs, while Jayasinghe took the other wicket.
Moughanie said Jayasinghe could have had several other wickets, but luck didn’t go his way. “He should have had an lbw which was a full toss going on to hit the stumps,” he said. “And he beat the bat three or four times. They could have easily been seven or eight wickets down.” St Francis de Sales finished on 3-100 from 32 overs.
Those two games are among three one-dayers in eight days, with Moughanie saying the aim was to win at least two.
The third will be against Royal Park/Brunswick on Saturday.
“The focus is on getting back on the winners’ list,” Moughanie said. “Royal Brunswick has been up and down and inconsistent.”
Moughanie looks set to miss the remaining two games before the break.
He hurt his calf while on 96 in the previous round against Keilor Park and had to leave the field. He returned with a runner and was able to get his century.
The Warriors are also without Clayton Campbell, who won’t return this season after moving to New Zealand.
Moughanie said the injuries provided opportunities for younger players to progress through the grades and into the senior side.
Craigieburn’s weekend continued to go downhill on Sunday when it lost to PEGS.
Craigieburn was bowled out for 115, with PEGS making the runs three wickets down.
In division 1 west, Tullamarine defeated Altona North. The Demons were bowled out for 112, but that proved to be enough when they bowled Altona North out for 101.
The Demons game against Druids on Sunday was declared a draw with no play possible.
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