Ideal weather for cricket

ROUND three of the Warrnambool Moyne and District Cricket Association was played in perfect spring conditions on Saturday.

At the Brierly hard wicket, Nestles scored a strong eight wicket win over Warrnambool.

Batting first, Warrnambool was bundled out for 114 in 38.4 overs.

Campbell Love top scored with 32 from 51 balls, with Sanjaya Arachchige leading the Nestles bowling with 3/4 from 2.4 overs.

An innings of 69 not out from 60 balls (including nine fours) from Tim Ludeman led Nestles to victory in just 23.1 overs for the loss of two wickets.

At JJ Colledge Oval in Port Fairy, the home team scored a seven wicket win over North Warrnambool.

Batting first, North Warrnambool’s innings of 177 was dominated by 100 from 97 balls to captain Bailey Jenkinson, an innings that included 14 boundaries.

Spinner Kalhan Sineth was the best of the bowlers for the Pirates with 3/34 from 8.5 overs.

Port Fairy took just 26.3 overs to pass the Eels’ score, for the loss of three wickets.

Opener Jason Perera finished on 103 not out from 88 balls, including 14 fours and two sixes.

At the Mack Oval, Mortlake scored a tight one wicket win over Russells Creek.

Top scores for Creek were Cam Williams with 73 from 50 balls and Probodha Senevirathne with 60 from 67 as the home team was all out for 249 in 44.3 overs.

Lachlan Wareham led Mortlake’s bowling with 4/58 from nine overs, with captain Craig Britten taking 3/53 from nine.

Mortlake opener Saman Gonawala stroked a fluent 102 from 74 balls including 16 boundaries.

But it was an unbeaten 52 from 56 balls from Clinton Baker that got the Cats over the line as wickets tumbled around him; Mortlake passing the Kangaroos total in the 41st over for the loss of nine wickets.

Jacob Eldridge led the wicket takers for Russells Creek with 3/44 from five overs.

At Noorat Recreation Reserve, Allansford-Panmure was dominant, defeating Noorat Terang by 10 wickets.

Recruit Heshan De Silva top scored for the Lions with 55 from 78 balls, with Joe Nyikos taking 3/33 from nine overs for the Gators.

In reply, Allansford-Panmure openers Kade Parker (83 not out from 66 balls with 12 fours and a six) and Shashan Silva (61 not out from 76 balls) led the visitors to a comfortable victory in just 23.3 overs.

At Purnim, Dennington registered a 20 run win over the Northern Raiders.

After slumping to 8/114, an unbeaten ninth wicket partnership of 98 between Ryan O’Keefe and Sam Worden lifted the Dogs to 8/212 from 45 overs.

O’Keefe finished on 63 not out from 89 balls, with Worden 47 not out from 52.

The Raiders were bowled out for 192 in 43.4 overs, captain James Elford top scoring with 48 from 47 balls and Blair Roberts making a patient 44 from 114 balls.

Pishan Hewage led the Dennington bowlers with 3/16 from 6.4 overs.

At Deakin University, West Warrnambool recorded a 79 run win over Merrivale.

Batting first, West Warrnambool posted 4/264 led by openers Poorna Nanayakkara (66 from 84 balls with eight fours and a six) and Madupa Fernando (66 from 96 with three fours and a six), as well as captain Ben Threlfall (48 from 41 balls) and Rukshan Weerasinghe (40 from 30).

In reply, Merrivale was all out for 185, despite the efforts of captain Josh Stapleton who made 101 from 91 balls with 10 fours and three sixes in his 300th senior appearance for the Tigers.

Noah Dawson and Angus Nicolson took three wickets each for West Warrnambool in the win.

Next week’s round of one-day matches sees West Warrnambool play Mortlake at Deakin University, North Warrnambool host Dennington at Bushfield, Nestles and Russells Creek meet at Wenborn Oval, Allansford-Panmure host Port Fairy at Allansford, Merrivale and Noorat Terang meet at the Harris St Reserve with the Northern Raiders playing Warrnambool at Purnim.

The WMDCA women’s competition kicks off on Sunday with Mortlake hosting Warrnambool at Mortlake College, Koroit will play North Warrnambool at Koroit, Nestles and Cobden meet at Wenborn Oval, Hawkesdale will host Dennington at Hawkesdale, Russells Creek play the Northern Raiders at the Mack Oval with the Panmure Recreation Reserve the venue for the Allansford-Panmure v Wangoom clash.