By Les Hutchings
Kilsyth First XI resumed their second innings at 1/25 at the start of Day 2, in Round 3 of the Trollope Shield competition against Norwood at Mullum Mullum Reserve. At stumps on the previous Saturday, Jack Childs was on 16 not out and Kevin Baldsing 4 not out. They took the score to 69, adding 58 for the second wicket when Childs was out for a solid 30 off 85 balls (2 fours). Kevin Baldsing went on to score 36 off 80 balls (2 fours) and he was the third wicket to fall on 87. However, with the loss of two quick wickets, it was soon 5/95 and then 6/119, 7/123 and 8/139, when Kilsyth’s lead was only 94 with two wickets in hand. Best of the batsmen during that period were Uvindu Wimaladharma 18 off 27 balls (3 fours) and Andy Solomons 19 off 19 balls (3 fours). On the fall of the eighth wicket, Scott Nicholson joined Mackenzie Scott-Thomas and they batted very well to take the score to 8/213 in an unbroken partnership of 74 for the ninth wicket. At this point, Kilsyth declared with Scott-Thomas on 57 not out off 81 balls (7 fours), and Scott Nicholson on 28 not out off 46 balls (2 fours). Multiple wicket takers for Norwood were Ishraj Jandu 3/50 off 16 overs (4 maidens) and Grant McInerney 2/61 off 18 overs (3 maidens).
Norwood were set the task of scoring 169 off 26 overs for an outright victory. However, at stumps they were 4/86, Sam Storey top scoring with 41 off 72 balls, including 5 fours. Kilsyth used 10 bowlers in the second innings with the wickets shared between Scott Nicholson 1/5 off 2 overs, Mackenzie Scott-Thomas 1/17 off 5 overs, Hayden Pleming 1/7 off 2 overs and Kevin Baldsing 1/5 off 1 over.
The Second XI, in a similar situation to the First XI, resumed their second innings at 1/15 against Norwood. Trailing by 71 runs in the first innings, Kilsyth set about occupying the crease and in the end batted for 86 overs to finish on 8/162 at stumps. Top scorers for the Redbacks were Rhys McKean, 57 off 180 balls (8 fours), Captain Matthew Coghlan 28 off 110 balls (1 four), and Anthony Cook 25 not out off 51 balls (3 fours). During his innings, Rhys McKean passed the 3000 senior runs milestone for the Club. Joshua Kelly was the best of Norwood’s bowlers with 5/62 off 23 overs (3 maidens), whilst Lewis Miller took 2/22 off 15 overs (6 maidens).
The Third XI posted 280 last week against Lilydale on Roy Baldwin Oval at Pinks Reserve. However, after being 3/47, Lilydale chased down the target and finished on 7/285 off 79 overs. Lilydale’s Kalen Tahirovski batted very well to reach the magical ton, scoring 103 not out off 205 balls (6 fours) in a match winning performance. He was well supported by Scott Boyce 31 (5 fours), Captain Matthew Browell 29 (5 fours and 1 six), Angus Smith 25 (3 fours), Luke Green 25 (2 fours and 1 six) and Elijah Prentice 24 (4 fours). Multiple wicket takers for Kilsyth were Luke Paolini 2/42 off 9 overs (3 maidens), Travis Tyszkiewicz 2/63 off 14 overs (2 maidens), and Sanjeeva Rana 2/63 off 18 overs (4 maidens). Spinner Justin Smith bowled economically, sending down 10 overs, 3 maidens and yielding only 18 runs.
The Fourth XI played a one-day match against Wantirna First XI at Schultz Reserve. Wantirna won the toss and elected to bat. After 21 overs they were 7/81, with opening batsman Jason Green out for a bright 32, including 3 fours and 2 sixes. Number 9 batsman, Lachlan Green, was the last man out, run out off the last ball for a brilliant 65 (11 fours and 2 sixes), to see Wantirna all out for 177 after their 36 allotted overs. Brodie Goodwin was Kilsyth’s best bowler, capturing 4/25 off 7 overs. Other wicket takers were leg spinner Andrew Smith, 1/15 off 7 overs (2 maidens), Kyle Galea 1/15 off 2 overs and Tait Harper 1/27 off 5 overs. In all, there were three run outs in Wantirna’s innings.
In Kilsyth’s run chase, an opening partnership of 50 between Andrew Smith and Captain Anthony Sequeira 10 (2 fours), was followed by a second wicket partnership of 95 between Andrew Smith 75 (14 fours), and Kasun Ekanayake. Kasun was then joined by Kamal Kuruppu, playing his first game for Kilsyth, and he blasted a quick fire 36 not out (6 fours and 1 six) to take Kilsyth to victory with the final score on 2/185 after 29 overs. Kasun Ekanayake played a good innings of 33 not out, including 2 fours and 1 six. For Wantirna, Matthew O’Brien took 1/31 off 7 overs and Dilpal Sarna 1/15 off 2 overs.
The Fifth XI journeyed to Mount Evelyn and played on the scenic Number 2 Oval. Kilsyth won the toss and elected to bat. After losing the first wicket at 28, a second wicket partnership of 76 between Ryan Kaal 49 (9 fours) and Pat Moilanen got Kilsyth underway. Pat retired on 50 not out but came back in at the end to finish on 52 not out (9 fours and 1 six). The other main run scorers in Kilsyth’s innings were Rhys Kearney 31 (4 fours and 1 six), and Ravin Mehra, a scintillating 50 retired not out, including 4 fours and 5 sixes. After 36 overs Kilsyth reached the impressive score of 8/233cc. The multiple wicket taker for Mount Evelyn was Harry Churchill who took 2/49 off 6 overs.
In reply, Mount Evelyn lost two early wickets to be 2/20 in the third over. However, they kept batting with intent and after 20 overs had reached 2/140. With 2 overs remaining, Mount Evelyn were in with a chance at 7/213 and then 8/219 after 35 overs. Needing 15 to win off the last over, 7 runs were scored off the first 3 balls and the game was going down to the wire. Then Ravin Mehra took a wicket off the fourth ball and in the end, Kilsyth ran out winners by 4 runs in an exciting and tense finish. Craig Kennis 56 not out (9 fours), Leighton Joyce 54 not out (6 fours and 1 six), and Jason Dunstone 32 (6 fours), were the chief run scorers. For Kilsyth, Ravin Mehra took the bowling honours with 3/22 off 6 overs (1 maiden) to cap off a great all-round game. Jordan Relf, 2/35 off 6 overs and Ryan Kaal, 3/37 off 7 overs (1 maiden), were the other multiple wicket takers for the Redbacks. Playing in his 150th senior game for the Club, Kilsyth’s Fifth XI Captain Tyron Paspa took three catches behind the stumps as stand-in wicketkeeper.
On Sunday the Women’s First XI played an away game against Heatherdale, who won the toss and elected to bowl. After a solid opening partnership of 39 in 14 overs, Kilsyth lost both openers, Belinda Hutchings for 13 off 34 balls (1 four) and Nicole Woolhouse 15 off 47 balls (1 four). Then Captain Ashleigh Katoa batted well to score 26 off 24 balls (5 fours), but with the score at 5/77 after 22 overs Heatherdale were on top. However, a determined unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 43 between Avanthi Jayawickrema, 27 not out off 44 balls (4 fours), and Sharon Sheals 8 not out off 45 balls, enabled Kilsyth to reach 5/120cc after 36 overs. For Heatherdale, Alice O’Connell took 2/8 off 4 overs (2 maidens). Congratulations to Dana-Lee Mehra who made her debut for Kilsyth.
A magnificent unbroken opening partnership of 122 in 16.3 overs between Heatherdale’s Captain Hailey Ferris, who scored 82 not out off 57 balls (12 fours), and Angela Hucker, 20 not out off 42 balls, enabled Heatherdale to cruise to victory.
The Under 12’s had an exciting T-20 match against Heatherdale who won the toss and batted first, compiling 2/83cc after 20 overs. For Kilsyth, Bailey Kennon took 2/8 off 3 overs whilst Heatherdale’s top scorers were Farhan Alam 16 off 15 balls (3 fours), and Reyansh Goswami 10 retired not out off 14 balls (1 four). In reply, Kilsyth won by one run finishing on 5/84 off their 20 overs, aided by 46 sundries! Bailey Kennon 9 not out off 25 balls, Zach Mellerivk 9 off 21 balls (1 four), and Zion Solomons 8 off 7 balls (1 four), were Kilsyth’s main scorers.
The combined Yarra Glen/Kilsyth Under14 team won the toss and elected to bat against Yarra Junction in a one-day match. At the end of 25 overs the merged team had scored 4/130cc. Top scorers were Tait Harper 25 retired not out off 23 balls (5 fours), Lucas Burke 20 retired not out off 25 balls (2 fours) and Ronak Mehra 17 off 19 balls (3 fours). Charly Cochrane took 3/9 off 3 overs for Yarra Junction. The Junction chased down the total finishing on 3/136 after 24 overs. Jaiden Lever 25 retired not out off 25 balls (3 fours), Taj Thornton-Lindsay 21 off 17 balls (4 fours), and Jordan Thornton 20 retired not out off 25 balls (3 fours), were the top run getters. Riley Galea 1/9 off 2 overs, Mitchell Ammerlaan 1/13 off 3 overs and Damon Cowan 1/19 off 2 overs shared the wickets for Yarra Glen/Kilsyth.
Kilsyth U16-1 team played North Ringwood at Barngeong Reserve Number 1 Oval in a one-day fixture. Kilsyth won the toss and batted, posting 8/91cc after 25 overs. Jack Childs 27 (3 fours and 1 six), and Joel Harris 21 retired not out (4 fours), were Kilsyth’s main scorers, whilst Ben Bellizia took 2/11 off 2 overs for North Ringwood. North cruised to victory in 16 overs finishing on 0/103 with Charlie Moore scoring 44 off 25 balls (6 fours and 2 sixes), and Ezra Horneman 27 not out off 19 balls (4 fours).
