RTM
| starcommunity.com.au
Connecting people and communities
Tuesday, 12 January, 2016 Page 19
Sport
Back with Twenty20 action By STEVE BROWN THE Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association donned the coloured clothing after resuming from the Christmas break with a Twenty20 match to complete Round 8 of the Norm Reeves Shield competition. At Fairpark Reserve, Monbulk batsman Billy Hicken strode to the crease with his side in all sorts of trouble at 4/23 against Johnson Park. Playing orthodox cricket strokes, Hicken played his best innings as he and Tom Watson put on 80 for the sixth wicket. At the completion of their allotted overs, the Hawks compiled a competitive 5/136 with Hicken unbeaten on 83. Left-arm medium fast bowler Liarne DeSilva returned to Johnson Park after a year interstate and he finished with 3/15 from four overs. In reply, the Sharks were on target to get the points but when legspinner Chris Coen snared the prize wicket of Ben Stallworthy the run rate became increasingly difficult and they went down by 16 runs. Coen took three wickets in a fine team fielding performance with all catches held. Ferntree Gully consolidated their position in the top four with a solid win over Mountain Gate by 41 runs.
Bryce Galvin (66) combined with Wayne McInerney, who played Twenty20 for Camberwell Magpies Premier Grade a few seasons ago, to set the Gators 5/182 for victory. McInerney remained 54 not out in what was a polished performance for the Blues. Mountain Gate, desperate for a win to remove relegation pressure, was unable to maintain the run rate and finished on 6/141. Top side Knoxfield were given a fright by bottom team Knox Gardens but came through in the end by winning with three balls to spare. They say winning form is good form and the Knights were wellserved by Feaver Medallist Luke Scanlan (40) and Jayden Raab with 35. Left-arm swing bowler Zac Flintoff bowled a tidy line to collect 3/12 while Mitch Gregory’s 42 was not enough to get the Falcons over the line. The Basin Bears won their third game on the trot, avenging an earlier loss in the season to Upwey-Tecoma. It was the usual Basin suspects - Best, Rundle and Ryan - contributing with the bat compiling 6/185 and the target proved too many for the Tigers as Jarryd Debernadi claimed 3/17. Upwey-Tecoma managed 7/153 with veteran Dain Howe tops scor-
ing with 37. Eildon Park meant business when they journeyed to Belgrave, easily accounting for the Magpies by 98 runs in a one-sided affair. Once the Morris Brothers got a start it was an uphill battle as the home side managed 88 chasing 186. Association and Eildon Park captain Cameron Cosstick took the best figures for the round with 4/23. Reeves Shield Knoxfield 6/123 (L. Scanlan 40, Raab 35, Flintoff 3/12) def Knox Gardens 9/120 (Gregory 42). Monbulk 5/136 (Hicken 83*, Desilva 3/15) def Johnson Park 8/120 (Coen 3/32). Eildon Park 6/186 (C. Morris 65, B. Morris 58, Rowe 4/31) def Belgrave 8/88 (Cosstick 4/23). Ferntree Gully 5/182 (Galvin 66, McInerney 54*) def Mountain Gate 6/141 (Fitzgerald 30). The Basin 6/185 (Best 45, Rundle 44, Ryan 30, Moore 3/35) def Upwey Tecoma 7/153 (Howe 37, Wells 30, Debernadi 3/17). Decoite Shield South Belgrave 6/155 (Suckling 33, A. Hart 56) def Lysterfield 84 (Atkinson 3/13). Auravale 2/143 (Quinlan 45*, McDermott 59*) def Knox Boronia Churches 8/140 (Smith 48, Brown 3/14). Upper Gully 6/155 (Dunlop 32, Balmford 41, Matthews 4/25) def St Johns Tecoma 7/136 (Palandri 36). Rowville 8/124 def Footballers 97 (Woolley
3/14, Bandaranaike 3/17). Division 3 Knox Gardens 8/117 def Knoxfield 105 (Withers 4/14). The Basin 4/125 (C. Edwards 37) def Upwey Tecoma 9/121 (Dawson 50, Wallace 3/24). Eildon Park 6/136 (Hicks 53) def Belgrave 8/134 (Argoon 55). Ferntree Gully 9/129 def Mountain Gate 6/122 (B. Croxford 52). Division 4 Lysterfield 6/145 (Binks 50, Finch 58) def South Belgrave 5/130 (Ray 52, Lawson 30). Upper Gully 1/127 (Lord 37*, Windross 57) def St Johns Tecoma 9/121 (Griffiths 35). FTGDCA - Bendigo Country Week Squad (Division 1) Cameron Cosstick (Captain), Eildon Park; Nathan Hicks, Jayden Bradbury (Vice Captain), Ferntree Gully; Harrison Brown, Cameron Wheeler, Mountain Gate; Josh Lindner, Joe Morsello, Rowville; Guy Balmford, Upper Gully; Steve Devenish, Johnson Park; Brayden Wright, Johnson Park; Brad Paull, Lysterfield; Daniel Bandaranaike, Rowville. Fixture: Monday, 18 January v Goulburn Murray at Eaglehawk; Tuesday, 19 January, v Northern Districts at Strathdale; Wednesday, 20 January v Castlemaine at White Hills; Thursday, 21 January v Gisborne at North Bendigo; Friday, 22 January, final at QEO.
Suns team out of competition By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS THE Sherbrooke Suns Basketball Association has withdrawn from the 2016 State Championship Men’s competition. The association notified the Big V Basketball League following the Annual General Meeting on 28 November 2015. The Sherbrooke Suns cited focusing their training on their next group of talent in their Youth League teams as reason for the withdrawal. Despite the withdrawal of the men’s team from the completion, Sherbrooke will continue to field a senior women’s team and two Molten Victorian Youth Championship teams. The Melbourne Tigers Basketball Association has also withdrawn teams from the Big V league with a focus on competing in the South East Australian Basketball League instead. The withdrawal of these two teams leaves the league with a 12 team roster in the State Championship Men’s division. Big V CEO Julie Anderson said the loss of two teams will not diminish the excitement of the 2016 Big V Basketball calendar. “In 2016, State Championship Men will feature 12 exciting and highly competitive teams,” she said. “This is exemplified by some of the amazing talent that has been added already to strengthen the team’s rosters.”
The Open Boys competitors find some momentum in their 1500m walk. 148765
Athletes striding out, back on track for 2016 By JAMIE STRUDLEY ATHLETICS returned to Morrison Reserve in 2016 with a round of Little Athletics on Saturday morning. A great turnout of athletes enjoyed the perfect conditions to reacquaint themselves to the track ahead of a busy
few months ahead. Many athletes recording PBs, an indication that better things can be expected. Round 8 of AV Shield was held at Nunawading on Saturday afternoon. A small but enthusiastic team from Yarra Ranges competed against ath-
letes from our White Zone and clubs from Yellow Zone, which includes athletes from power house clubs such as Essendon and Western Districts. All athletes competed in multiple events to produce some outstanding team results with wins to the Open Men Division 2 and Women Under 18s, sec-
ond placings to the Open Women’s Division 2 and Women’s Under 14s and a third place to the Men Under 14s. Next week’s round of Little Athletics is on Friday night from 5.45pm when there will be the club Multi Event round. The seniors compete in Round 9
of AV Shield on Saturday morning at Lakeside Stadium. First event is at 9am. For information on how to join or trial, photos, results and updated news, visit yarrarangesathletics.org.au or check out the Facebook page. Run, jump, throw ... too easy!