MELTON bounced back from a disappointing performance against Caulfield on Saturday to beat Sunshine on Sunday in their VSCDA south-west first XI clash.
Melton’s 4-226 was nowhere near enough to beat Caulfield, which scored 2-234 in reply on Saturday as Ricky Damiano’s unbeaten century and Ben Shipperd’s 79 kept out the Lions’ bowlers.
But the bowlers hit back on Sunday in a 20-over match as Melton (5-164) smashed Sunshine, which could amass only 79.
Mick Allen top-scored with 69 for the Lions, while Nathan Allen’s 3-7 made him the best of the bowlers on an afternoon when six bowlers claimed at least one scalp.
In the Legends and Heroes Twenty20 midweek competition, a cameo from Melbourne Renegades’ Brendan Drew produced fireworks as Melton (1-124) beat Coburg (7-123) by nine wickets.
Drew, who has played 34 first-class and 51 list-A matches for Tasmania, hit 79 off 35 balls and took 3-21 in a dominant display.
In GDCA, Nicholas Strangio’s 4-77 haul was the key for Bacchus Marsh as the Bulls beat Romsey by 58 runs in McIntyre Cup.
The Bulls failed to move out of seventh on the ladder with the win but, with 12 points, are now a game out of the top four, behind sixth-placed Sunbury (12) and fifth-placed Wallan (15).
Defending 322 set the previous weekend, Strangio removed Romsey openers James Williams (59) and Brent Tonkin (62) to end a promising start to the run chase.
Glenn Skrobolak (2-48) claimed Cameron Armstrong (41) and wickets followed at regular intervals with six other Romsey bats reaching double figures but none passing 20.
Brenton Payne was the other multiple wicket-taker with 2-33 as Romsey was dismissed for 264.
In WDCA, Melton South lost the first innings on day one against Grand United in A1 Turf on Saturday after being bowled out for 102.
Grand United reached 5-174 at stumps, with Melton South’s Kane Teeken claiming 3-53 as best of the bowlers so far.
In BCA, Darley bats faltered in first grade on Saturday as Napoleons-Sebastopol skittled the home team for 75 at Darley Park.
Marcus Ingvorsen’s 29 saved Darley from greater embarrassment after it slumped to 6-35.
Napoleons-Sebastopol will resume its run chase at 1-29 this weekend.
