By ADEM SARICAOGLU
KEALBA Green Gully is on top of the ladder in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association’s Luscombe Shield competition after two rounds.
The Cougars were again impressive on Saturday backing up their opening round win over Buckley Park from seven days earlier, toppling local rival and fellow finals contender Sydenham Hillside by three runs at Hillside Recreation Reserve.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the Storm posted 135 before losing their 10th wicket at the end of the 37th over.
Kealba then commenced its chase, which began in what can only be described as horrible fashion.
Top-order batsmen Michael West, Evan Long and Matthew Nadzielski were all sent packing for ducks to leave the Cougars stranded on 3/8 early in the innings.
However, the next wicket proved much harder to come by for Sydenham Hillside, who conceded 80 runs before Daniel Hewitt was finally stumped for 32.
His partnership with former coach Andrew Lambropolous, who was dismissed himself soon after for 47, saved the day for the reigning premier Cougars, who rallied in the middle-order through Danny Viani (17) and Dave Rogowski (9 not out).
The Viani-Rogowski pairing brought Kealba within four runs of victory by the time they were broken up, and by the end of the 32nd over, the job was done for the total loss of seven wickets.
Meanwhile in the NWMCA’s Kyte Shield, Burnside Springs made easy work of Sydenham Hillside at home, scoring a cruisy seven-wicket win.
The Storm opened the batting but struggled to post decent runs, reaching 6/104 by the end of their 40-over dig.
Burnside Springs then made light work of their run chase, with Adam and Mark Spiteri (31 not out and 25 not out respectively) producing an unbeaten 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket – and ultimately, victory.
Much like its Luscombe Shield side, Kealba Green Gully sits undefeated atop the Kyte Shield table after easily accounting for Aberfeldie St John’s with an eight-wicket win.
