A GRADE SEMI – Morwell 
v 
Moe
MOE INNING
Moe’s batting woes in the two day format brought a changed order as Chris Robinson switched places with Riley Baldi at opening & number 4. But the early woes continued, Robinson (1) undone by a cracking delivery from Seymour clipping the bail. Seymour struck again with Andrew Philip 
lbw to make it 2/11. This brought the regular opening pair of Noah Kane & Baldi back together after just 10 overs.
The pair put on 69 for the third wicket, Baldi with the vast majority going close a run a ball throughout his inning. His knock of 50 runs included 4 fours and a six, the latter being hit to bring up the half century. Unfortunately two balls later, he lost his head and a rash shot saw him back in the pavilion at 3/80. Kane (35 off 116) didn’t last much longer, next to fall, run out at 4/89. The middle order collapse became 4/15 (total 6/95) when Phoenix (1) & Grant both fell to Mills (2/1 off 3.3). The innings sort of stumbled towards the finish with the last 4 wickets putting on 42 runs with cameos from Sean Spiteri (12), Paddy Spiteri (14) & Royce Colgrave (14*) whilst Johnstone (4) & Taylor (2) didn’t cause the scorers much issue. Moe all out for 137 from 59.4 overs. Seymour 3/27, Harvey 2/24 & Mills took multiple wickets for the Tigers.
MORWELL INNING
With a minimum 26 overs to face, Morwell looked to knock off a chunk of the total by stumps. Mooney (
& Cukier (13) managed to rack up 18 off of Colgrave’s 3 overs but the free flowing nature at one end actually spelt trouble at the other as Clint Taylor collected the scalps of both of the openers in a fiery spell of 2/3 from 5 overs.
Rob Phoenix replaced Colgrave at the club room end and struck with his 2nd ball (Whelpdale ). Phoenix had the figures of 1/0 off his first 7 overs, which worked perfectly in tandem with Callum Grant at the other end. Grant had Day ( off 23) caught superbly by Andrew Philip to make it 4/24 and a frantic three ball inning saw Mason stumped in the same over. Four overs later, Grant had 3 wickets with Clymo (3 off 51) lbw to make it 6/25 and the Lions were in dreamland.
Jordan Campbell (6* off 33) & Blake Mills (8* off 19) saw Morwell through to stumps at 6/42 with 96 runs still required. Moe need 4 wickets. Play resumes 12/3.
B GRADE SEMI – Thorpdale v Moe
MOE INNING
Moe won the toss and batted. It was slow going from the outset with 5 runs from the first 7 overs as Jesse Pheeney & Mark Micallef saw off the new ball. They fell for 14 (39) & 9 (34) respectively in the 12th & 13th overs. Ash Savige 2 (4) fell in the 15th over to make it a 3/5 collapse and 3/28 total. The slow run rate continued with Jarryd Atkinson (4 off 29) & Evan Sheekey (18 off 53) unable to get the bowling of Zac O’Connell & Ken Dron away. Dron collected both of their wickets on the way to 2/13 from his allotted 9 overs. The scoreline was just 51 runs for the loss of 5 wickets from 30 overs.
Randy Straughair (24 off 42) threw the bat around to try to muster up some sort of total, but he and Troy Oakley (8 off 43) fell in consecutive overs to make it 7/83 with just 4 overs left. Josh Pickering (22 off 19) swung for the fences and connected with a couple (2 fours and a six) to push the total to 9/110 from 45 overs. Pickering and Blandford 
fell the last two balls of the innings to give Kayne O’Connell 3/13 from 8 overs. Dron & Powell (2/16) took multiple wickets whilst Shannon Pickering (1/15 off 9) & Zac O’Connell (0/22 off 9) were economical. Bradshaw (1/28 off 4) felt the wrath of Straughair & Pickering but scalped the former for his troubles.
THORPDALE INNING
The match was settled with the first partnership. Kayne O’Connell & James Durkin put on 77 with none of the Moe attack able to get a breakthrough early. A few chances close to fielders but nothing going to hand. Blunt & Savige who played all (11) and all but two (9) of A Grade’s home & away games respectively this season were unable to influence the result with their experience, going for 0/40 from 13 overs between them. Pickering was Moe’s best bowler with 0/5 off 6 but unable to claim a wicket either.
Jarryd Atkinson’s second spell finally brought an end to the partnership with O’Connell (38 off 81) picking out Blunt at mid on. The ball was thrown around late and Jesse Pheeney snagged a wicket when Powell (11) also picked out Blunt in the field. Bailey Wilson bowled tight at the end of innings with 0/7 from 4. Durkin (47* off 111) & Z.O’Connell (1*) at crease to finish 2/111 off 36.3 overs, 51 balls to spare.
B Grade’s season comes to a close as Thorpdale make it 4 from 4 vs Moe this season.
