Saturday Sundries are all the extra highlights from the weekend’s lower grade cricket — from the top runs scorer, to the best bowling figures and anything else of interest from the district grounds.
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Below are the some of the highlights from Saturday’s round two action you may have missed.
Gino-rmous knock
Old Students’ Gino Saracino turned back the clock at the weekend with a destructive unbeaten 106 in his side’s Clyde Young Shield encounter against Karramomus.
The century, which is Saracino’s first in more than a decade, came off a blistering 69 deliveries as Old Students tied with Karramomus.
Saracino, who coaches Students, crunched 15 boundaries and four sixes in his 10th career century, which led the B-grade outfit to 8-210 from 35 overs.
The talented batter said he enjoyed soaking up the moment with his mates, even if his body was paying for it the next day.
“I missed a full toss on middle stump last week in my first B-grade game, and I thought the same fate might be in front of me this week, but lucky enough I got the eye in and middled a few,” Saracino said.
“It was good to have a nice hit. I’ve got ice on me as I speak and am little bit bruised and battered after the knock, but that’s what happens when you’ve been playing for so long.
“This was the first ton I’ve made in 13 years ... it was a nice feeling reaching the milestone again, but what made the day so great was the fact I had a few of my mates there to share it with.
“I get more pleasure out of that then actually scoring the runs.”
What a match
Sticking with the Old Students and Karramomus B-grade encounter, it was arguably match of the round as the two sides settled for a share of the points.
The rain-affected contest at Vibert Reserve was a good old-fashioned heart-stopper that was played in good spirits.
Chasing Students’ total of 210, Karramomus had the threat of rain to juggle along with fending off opposition bowlers.
The hosts did a mighty job of the task and were well over the run-rate required for the majority of the innings.
Andrew Hawker (61 off 53) and Craig Dhosi (49 not out) were phenomenal and lifted Karra to 5-170.
The duo did enough for the Bloods to reach the same score (170 runs) that Old Students were on at the 30th over under the DLS method.
It takes two
In E-grade, just the one match was completed on Saturday, however a second contest almost got under way.
Nagambie forfeited its clash against Katandra due to its refusal to play.
Once the rain at Katandra West Primary School susbided, the two outfits inspected the condition of the playing surface and deemed it right to play.
But the away side opted against taking to the field and, in turn, the full points went to Katandra.
Cats claim first scalp
Lastly, Mooroopna clinched its first win of the D-grade campaign thanks to a sublime all-round performance.
In a reduced overs contest at Victory Park, Central Park-St Brendan’s managed 7-79 from its 30 overs.
A couple of run-outs and classy bowling by Caleb Aitken (2-12) gave the visitors the upper hand, before cool heads Gary Hallum (46 runs) and Lloyd Payne (27) remained unbeaten at the crease as Mooroopna skipped to an eight-wicket win.
Rain, rain go away
Once again wet weather played havoc across cricket grounds in the Goulburn Valley.
Only four matches were completed in the Haisman Shield, while three were completed in both B and C-grades.
Just the one game was able to be contested in both D and E-grades as frustrations continue to grow over the lack of play due to Mother Nature.