Note; Saturday 5/2 – A & B Grade didn’t play due to wet weather. C Grade’s twilight game did get on, Moe falling 20 runs short in their chase at Centrals
A GRADE – MORWELL V MOE
Last meeting was a high scoring one dayer with Morwell winning by 17 runs. The Tigers were missing Brincat & Clymo on that day whilst Moe had Baldi, Phoenix, Robinson, Taylor & Savige all out. All of those names were back playing yesterday but Morwell were missing captain/coach Jordan Campbell & import Luke Gettings.
MOE INNINGS
Morwell won the toss and bowled. A risk given Moe’s batting prowess but with just 2 Lion half centuries scored since the last meeting on December 3, could the decision be the right one? Moe’s innings started at a quick pace but Brendan Brincat made sure that came with casualties, as he dismissed Riley Baldi (7), Noah Kane 
& Sean Spiteri to reduce the total to 3/21 early. Andrew Philip opened the batting and made a better than a run a ball 36 (off 35 balls) before adjudged to have been caught at slip despite the ball coming off his pad. Rob Phoenix (39) was adjudged to have not hit a big caught behind appeal whilst on 4 and got a start following it before being bowled at 5/93. Greg Harvey got his second consecutive bowled wicket with Savige shortly after. Callum Grant (3) was bowled at 7/110. Royce Colgrave (12) offered a short cameo before Chris Robinson’s resistance (31) was ended. Robert Blunt fell one ball later with Moe all out for just 138. Taylor not out on 4*. Brincat was Morwell’s best with 3/22 from 10. Ross Whelpdale (2/41 off 10) and Greg Harvey (2/23 off 9) also took multiple wickets whilst Mark Cukier (3/13 off 3.5) wrapped up the tail.
MORWELL INNINGS
Morwell got off to an easy start before Mooney (12) was trapped lbw to Colgrave. Whelpdale (6) fell lbw to Blunt at 2/49. Mark Cukier & Blair Clymo added 65 for the 3rd wicket to set up the Tigers victory, Cukier (55) bringing up his half century before holing out Blunt at short cover off of the bowling of Grant. Blake Mills fell to Taylor just before Morwell passed the total to win by 6 wickets. Big thanks to Hayden Edwards who came across to sub-field following C Grade’s early finish.
Moe Bowling:
C.Taylor 1/29 (6) – R.Colgrave 1/24 (7) – R.Blunt 1/27 (5.5) – C.Grant 1/26 (10) – R.Phoenix 0/10 (2) – A.Savige 0/20 (3)
Churchill, Morwell & Moe sit top 3 on the ladder with 39pts, separated on percentage. Including this game just completed the 3 sides all crossover in the final 3 rounds with Churchill v Moe next week & Morwell v Churchill last round. The sides below will be eagerly waiting for dropped points.
B GRADE – MOE V MORWELL
MOE INNING
Moe batted first trying to change their fortunes against the Tigers in their 3rd meeting of the campaign. Randy Straughair (5) fell early. Paddy Spiteri (16) & Jarryd Atkinson (14) got starts to push the total to 3/88 at JA’s dismissal. Jesse Pheeney opened the batting and stayed through until the 39th of the allotted 45 overs, bringing up his first B Grade half century (59) on the back of his C Grade (62) one a month ago. From 4/125, the last 6 overs saw 4 wickets fall for 27 runs (Oakley 24, Johnstone 9*, Wilson , M.Glibanovic 7, Shields 1) to close with 8/152. Callum Bailey was the most damaging with the ball, picking up 4/32 (9) whilst Josh Seymour (2/25) also picked up multiple wickets.
MORWELL INNING
Import Luke Gettings played B Grade whilst recovering from injury, fell to Bailey Wilson for 9. Brendan Mason, also on path back from injury, knocked up a quick 29 in the 35 run 2nd wicket partnership before chopping on off of Aaron Johnstone. He struck again with Seymour & G.Gniel (5) to reduce the Tigers to 4/67. Kris Fortuin opened and like Pheeney earlier, fell shortly after reaching his half century, to Wilson for 50. That ended a 74 run stand with Craig Giddens (44*), with 12 runs to win and 10 overs left. Giddens was joined by Paul Seymour (12*) to see Morwell to victory by 5 wickets. Johnstone (3/24) & Wilson (2/35) were Moe’s best with the ball.
Moe Bowling
B.Wilson 2/35 (9) – D.Farmer 0/27 (8.) – J.Shields 0/35 (7) – A.Johnstone 3/24 (9) – J.Atkinson 0/19 (3) – B.McCartney 0/10 (0.4)
Yesterday’s wins makes it Morwell 7, Moe 0 across all senior grades (2x A’s, 3x B’s, 2x C’s) and 2 further losses & a washout across the juniors. C Grade can try to break that record in their third meeting next week.
C GRADE – YALLOURN NORTH V MOE
YALLOURN NORTH INNING
The Bombers won the toss and batted first. Hayden Edwards (1/16 off 8.) struck first with the wicket of Vallance (4) & Ty Rendell (1/4 off 2) struck one run later to dismiss Yun (7) and make it 2/14. Only Cook (10) & Jans (11*) reached double figures as Yallourn North were rolled for 54 with 4 ducks to close the inning. Partly responsible for that, was Ronnie Whitney taking a hat trick (3/6 off 2). Congrats Ronnie! Aiden Savage bowled a full complement of 8 overs with great figures of 3/16. Ibi Glibanovic (1/2 off 4 balls) wrapped up the inning.
Moe Bowling:
H.Edwards 1/16 (8.) – R.Whitney 3/6 (2) – T.Rendell 1/4 (2) – A.Savige 3/16 (8.) – M.Moroney 0/7 (2) – I.Glibanovic 1/2 (0.4)
MOE INNING
Moe chased down the total easily, 2 down in 14 overs. Hayden Edwards (19) & Chris De Vent (15) got starts to set up the win, coolly finished off by Max Moroney (10*) & Ibi Glibanovic (4*).
C Grade sit 5th and face leaders Morwell next week before very crucial matches against Mirboo North (4th) & Boolarra (7th) to finish the season.
