By ADEM SARICAOGLU
KEILOR remains winless and second-last in the Senior Division of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association after suffering a heavy first innings loss to South Caulfield on Saturday.
The Blues had been put on the back foot seven days earlier after being handed the ball, conceding a whopping 408 runs to the home team, which declared its innings after 73 overs just four wickets down.
Keilor came into the second day’s play at 0/19 in its pursuit of 409, but could only last through to the 59th over before losing all its wickets for just 212.
Having claimed first innings points by 196 runs, South Caulfield then had a second dig in the middle, and in 18 overs reached 3/123 by the time stumps were called.
This weekend Keilor will host Old Mentonians at Robert Bruce Reserve in Albion.
Meanwhile it was a much more fruitful weekend for Keilor Park in the VTCA North Division.
The Devils had not yet tasted victory going into their round three away clash against the Doutta Stars and would have been desperate to finally get a win coming into the second day’s play on Saturday, needing to defend their all-out 206 from seven days earlier.
The Stars had made 0/5 in two overs late on day one but resumed their chase in shaky fashion on Saturday, losing both their openers for a combined 11 runs.
However the Stars’ middle order rallied to get the host back into the game, which in the end came down to the wire.
Tail-enders Mark Rossitto and Luke Clowes needed just eight runs for victory but ultimately fell seven runs short courtesy of Keilor Park skipper Jamie Manning, who bowled Clowes to ensure his side’s first win of the summer.
Manning claimed two wickets for the day but it was Dilshan Udage Kankanamage who had the last laugh, leading Keilor Park’s bowling attack with three crucial wickets through the Doutta Stars’ middle order.
This weekend Keilor Park will host West Coburg in another two-day game at Ray Davies Reserve.
