By Deb Glover
With the final round of fixtures swiftly coming to an end and finals looming not far around the corner, there has been plenty of action in the South Midlands Cricket Association. Moora has lost 2 out of their last 4 games and have been knocked off the top spot down to 3rd. Reigning premiers Bindoon and 2015 runners up Gingin are equal on points at the top of the ladder. The last game of the round on the 28th of February will determine who will claim top spot and a home semi- final, with Moora having to settle for 3rd spot.
Results of games held on the 31st of January
The Moora Knights 5/198 defeated Lower Chittering 7/157. Dave Travaskis batted well for the Knights finishing on 52 runs and Simon Willmott not far behind on 44 runs. For Lower Rory Bennett top-scored with 89 not out and Kevin Embling 25 next in line. With the ball Jayden Glover claimed the honours 2/16 off 9 and Dekan John Furnace 1/1 of 2 overs. For Lower S Baker was their best 3/38 off 9 and Rory Bennett 1/25 off 9.
In other games played on the 31st: Gingin 9/179 (Steve Balcombe 36 not out, Will Roe 27, Jake Edwards 27, J McAndrew 2/15 off 9 , Brad Pietraszek 2/34 off 8.1) defeated Bindoon 9/197 Bindoon (Clayton Smith 36, Dylan Summers 31, Steve Balcombe 3/33 off 9 and 2/14 off 8); and Bindi -Miling 8/202 (Steve Turner 41, Kade Morton 37, T Brooks 3/19 off 4, M Gray 2/31 off 5) defeated Dandaragan 10/90 (G Wooton 28, John Abbott 20, Andrew Barnard 2/3 off 2 and Gavin Cartmel 3/17 off 7).
On the 7th of February the Knights 6/179 were defeated by Gingin 5/235. With four of the Knights unavailable for the game Adam Millsteed donned the whites again after a long break from cricket. He took a little while to get warmed up but finished his first batting stint with the Knights on 68. Jayden Glover on 53 was the second-highest run scorer for the Knights. With the ball Kody Glover 3/27 off 8 and Dave Glover 1/10 off 9 bowled well for the Knights. For Gingin Lewis Roe 71, Sam Martin 54 not out, Craig Maughan 2/35 off 9, Will Roe 1/8 off 6. In other games played on the 7th of Feb: Bindi Miling 10/153 (Paul Seymour 49, Andrew Barnard 31, P Beringer 3/16 off 3, Wayne Snedden 2/41 off 8) defeated Lower Chittering 10/120 (Wayne Snedden 51, Kevin Embling 15, Steve Childs 3/6 off 3, Corey Moore 3/17 off 6.2); and Bindoon 3/200 (Cameron Yates 60, Clayton Smith 39, John Abbott 2/28 off 6, M Grey 1/28 off 4) defeated Dandaragan ( John Abbott 49, Tim Collins 29, Zac Bulpitt 3/19 off 6, Des Toomey 2/16 off 3).
On the 14th of Feb the Knights travelled down to Bindoon. Bindoon on 5/193 easily claimed victory defeating the Knights 10/135. Brad Millsteed went on to make 72 runs for Bindoon with Clayton Smith finishing on 53 not out. For the Knights it was Phil Hayman 59 not out and Joe Furnace 36. With the ball for Bindoon it was J McAndrew 4/39 off 9 and Josh Brennan 2/19 off 4.1. For the Knights it was Jayden Glover 1/25 off 9 and Dave Glover 1/33 off 7.
In other games on the 14th: Lower Chittering 9/184 (Rory Bennett 72, S Kember 27, John Abbott 3/21 off 9, M Collard 2/24 off 9) defeated Dandaragan 10/81 (Mark Madew 21, John Abbott 3/21 off 9, Wayne Snedden 4/20 off 7, Brad Hughes 2/11 off 5); and Gingin 7/212 (Luke George 59, Steve Balcombe 47, Steve Childs 2/16 off 4, Tony White 1/14 off 5) defeated Bindi Miling 10/69 (Steve Turner 23, Steve Childs 16, C Richards 3/2 off 1.1, Will Roe 3/10 off 4).
On the 21st of Feb the Knights travelled out to Miling for the second-last game of the final round. Bindi Miling won the toss and chose to bat first. After losing 2 of their wickets in the first two overs they didn’t get off to a very good start. Gavin Cartmel and Paul Seymour steadied the ship forming a partnership of 36 runs before Seymour departed on 18 runs. Apart from Cartmel who finished as Bindi Miling’s leading run scorer on 37, the batsmen for Miling departed at regular intervals finishing all out for 76. Even though the Knights chalked up an easy win in the end they also struggled with the bat with Jayden Glover on 122 not out and Dekan John Furnace 17 the highest run scorers. With the ball for Bindi Miling, Marcus Parn finished with 3/19 off 7 and Steve Turner 1/14 off 4. For the Knights Jayden Glover took 4/7 off 4 and Jordan Glover 2/25 off 7. In other games Bindoon 9/188 defeated Lower Chittering 10/135 and Gingin defeated Dandaragan with no other results available at time of print.
