By Christopher Anderson
So, within a blink of an eye, the home and away portion of the 2024/25 season has disappeared for the cricketers of Mt Evelyn. Through a season of cutthroat cricket, the Mounters have emerged with four Senior teams in finals to join the four Junior teams who began their finals campaigns this weekend.
The Community Bank – Mt Evelyn 1st XI finished their home and away season with a disappointing loss on the road to South Warrandyte. The home team batted first and amassed an impressive total of 7/282 on the back of considerable contributions from Morgan Persson-Clark (78) and Thomas Peter-Budge (66). The Mounters bowlers simply had no answers to the onslaught, and despite the small ground, the total was going to prove too great. Bohdie Jones (3/57) and Darcy Fraser (3/82) would take a handful of wickets, but they couldn’t stem the flow of runs.
The disappointment of the game would be the visitors inability to muster some fight with the bat. Despite a long batting line up, they would be bundled out for a mediocre score of 166. Mike Mawson would continue his excellent season contributing a top score of 42, whilst Campbell Mole and Darcy Fraser would show fight towards the end, but all in all it was a disappointing outing for the Mounters.
Hopefully the loss will spur on the team for an improved effort as they face a road trip to Seville for their do-or-die Elimination Final clash with the Burras. The teams have split the points over their two games this season so this promises to be another epic contest.
The Professionals Outer East 2nd XI also missed an opportunity to chalk up a win against a good opponent and in the process almost relinquished their position in the top four. Their conquerors, Bayswater Park, came prepared to give the finals a shake and almost pulled off the perfect heist.
The Sharks elected to bat and immediately had the hosts’ bowlers. Two early wickets wouldn’t stymy the visitors’ run rate in pursuit of a big total to blow the contest wide open. Billie Laird would defy his age to lead the Mt Evelyn attack, taking four wickets, whilst Kynan Yates and Luke Shepherd would keep scoring tight, but the Sharks would feast on the rest of the bowling attack, reaching a total of 9/260. A glimpse of finals if they could bowl well.
With a significant chase at hand, the Mounters had to tread the tightrope of chasing the total with gusto and preserving wickets as a collapse would hand the Sharks their position in the top four. The Mounters would cautiously chip away at the total ensuring they wouldn’t suffer a catastrophic collapse and eliminating the threat on their finals position. The Mounters’ experienced top order would put the team in a position to attack the total if good enough, but the required run rate and pressure bowling strangled the hosts and they eventually bowled out for 199.
After holding on desperately to their place in the top four, the 2nd XI now travel to Heathwood to take on the top of the ladder Lions. Both teams had dominant wins against each other during the season, both one-day clashes, so there is an air of anticipation as to what this two-day contest will bring.
The Rhead Group 3rd XI were the hard luck story of the weekend. A win against Heathwood, and Coldstream faltering to a rampant Mooroolbark outfit, would be enough to surpass at least one of the teams to replace them in the finals.
The Mounters would tick the first box by completely dominating Heathwood. The Mounters would grind away at a disciplined Lions batting lineup to restrict the hosts to 7/95 off their allotted overs. Alex Whiting’s speed proved too great for batsmen as he recorded useful figures of 3/11, whilst the rest of the attack would be miserly.
Sensing a quick chase of the small total would enhance their finals chances, the Mounters blasted their way to victory within 16 overs. Whiting would complete a great all-round game scoring an unbeaten 34, whilst captain Graeme Foster would blast a quick-fire 33.
Unfortunately for the 3rd XI, the victory wouldn’t be enough to surpass Heathwood on the ladder, whilst an upset victory to Coldstream left the Mounters desperately short of the finals. A bitterly disappointing finish to their season.
The Hop Hen Brewing 4th XI had the task ahead of them in the final round of the season up against a dominant Ainslie Park. The Mounters would bat first and soon found themselves under the pump against an experienced Ainslie outfit. The visitors couldn’t muster any form of resistance and found themselves in a desperate position at 6/52. The Mounters lower order would grit their teeth and an unbeaten half-century from Glen Rigg, with some good support from captain Chris Doyle (34), would not only see the team to the end of their allotted overs, but to a respectable total of 9/159.
The Mounters would make the Parkers earn their victory, but they couldn’t maintain the restriction of runs as tight overs would inevitably be undone by a loose one where the runs would flow. Add to that the lack of wickets falling, and the home side would ease themselves to victory without any great problems despite the Mt Evelyn attack being far from disgraced.
The result leaves the 4th XI with a return date with the Parkers, their third clash in the space of four games. Ainslie has proven too tough for the Mounters to overcome in their previous outings, but with some firepower with the ball and some timely wickets the 4th XI could be well on this contest, but it will take their very best.
The Lilydale Tyres 5th XI have been nestled in the top end of the table for the majority of the season with finals a formality from a long way out. Their only hiccups were against top of the ladder Kilsyth. The team hosted Templeton in their final home and away game in a perfect tune-up for finals with the Taipans keen to remain in finals calculations.
The Mounters would bat first in a quest to establish dominance with a large total, and Jason Dunstone (31) and Craig Kenins (52) would ensure the hosts would make the best possible start. Unperturbed, the Taipans would keep their cool, and once the wickets started to fall, the visitors would capitalise. The innings would grind to a halt and the innings would be quickly wrapped up for 158. On the outside, a total that would appear defendable with good bowling, but in reality a fair way short considering the size of ‘The Postage Stamp’.
Short of the mark is what it would prove to be. The Mounters would take their share of wickets to keep things interesting, but Templeton had the luxury of not being pressured by run rates and they would nurse their way to an impressive four-wicket victory.
In a twist of fate, the teams will meet in the first week of the finals. With one win each in their previous two contests, both teams claim to have an advantage in this game, but reality says that this is anyone’s game, and the step up in venue may play an intriguing part to this battle. Either way, the victor will be made to earn their place in the Grand Final.
The Flowtec 6th XI would suffer a heart breaking loss in their final game of the season as they were outlasted by Mooroolbark. The Mounters would bat first, and in their most complete performance with the bat, they would blast their way to an impressive total of 4/257. Jett Hartman and Chase Missen would combine for a quick scoring partnership that would give the innings some serious momentum. Hartman would blast his way to an unbeaten half century, whilst Chris Graham and Bruce Smith would capitalise on the spritely start to also record half-centuries.
After a tough season where wins have been hard to come by, the 6th XI were in a great position to close out their season on a high. The bowling and fielding would back up the batting efforts and for the majority of the Mooroolbark innings, the visitors had their noses in front of the contest, so much so that the contest was virtually over as the Barkers required 74 runs for victory off the last five overs. Down to eight fielders, the gaps began to appear, and with the cool head of Mooroolbark captain Steve Hall, the gaps became chasms. The tidal wave of momentum would overrun the visitors on the final ball of the chase condemning them to gut-wrenching end to the season.
