Melton Centrals is just percentage away from top spot on the Williamstown District Cricket Association A-Turf ladder after an emphatic win over Melton South in the weekend’s first Melton derby of the season.
Blackwood Reserve was a happy hunting ground for bowlers, as Centrals made 4-98 to chase down South’s 95.
Centrals (21 points, 1.5 per cent) trails Grand United (21, 2.5) at the top, while Melton South (nine, 0.69) fell to sixth, one win outside the four.
South won the toss and batted on Saturday and reached 1-47 before disaster struck, Tristan Francis’s departure for 25 triggering a collapse of 8-21 that left South reeling at 9-68.
Ben Notman (3-28), Corey Patmore (3-13) and Matthew Murphy (3-10) ripped through the South batting order.
A last-wicket stand of 27 by Kane Teeken (11no) and Paul Davies (12) pushed South’s innings out to the 38th over before Teeken (3-13) took his momentum into the bowling innings, striking three times early to have Centrals wobbling at 4-41.
But Centrals opener Daniel Vastuja (47no) survived Teeken’s spell and combined with Notman (14no) to guide the chase to its conclusion by the 25th over.
Melton South returns to Blackwood Reserve this weekend to host Gellibrand, while Melton Centrals is away at Grand United.
