Melbourne Uni had a good weekend. The highlight was VWCA XI winning to qualify for the finals. Another high was the 3rd XI batting performance. They will be hoping a 300 run plus total is enough to cement their spot in the 8. The 1st XI bowlers did a wonderful job, but unfortunately the tail has been left with a huge task of taking the points. At the Uni Main the 2s are a chance of winning, while the 4s will need to bowl well in their match. Sadly the 5th XI have slipped to 5th in the MCA A Grade table. They will be hoping to finish the season in winning style.

The 1st XI arrived to the Blues home ground on a miserable morning for cricket, however constant drizzle didn’t stop the first ball being bowled on time. Uni was in the best position for maximum points after winning the toss and electing to bowl. The day started slowly for MUCC with the openers moving the score to 29 without loss in quick time. The introduction of Nick Williams with the breeze started a steady run of wickets for the MUCC bowling attack. By lunch both crucial batsman were in the sheds and University were on top with 4 breakthroughs. Good bowling after the break dismissed the blues for 167, an excellent effort considering the consistent wet ball University had to contend with.

However that is where the table turned. After putting the bowlers put us in a great position to press for maximum points and keep a finals chance alive, the side collapsed to be 7/82 overnight. Credit must given to the Blues attack which sent down some quality bowling. With 80 odd runs required and 3 wickets remaining the game is still alive. An interesting first session awaits at Princess Park on Saturday morning. 

In the 4s at the Crawford MUCC won the toss and elected to bat. The openers looked solid and got off to a good start before an excellent caught and bowled effort saw Jude Fernando dismissed for 12. Matt Kiely (49) and Jarryd Crisp (12) went on to consolidate the innings with a 50 run partnership. Kiely batted with great composure before being dismissed on 49. A wicket either side of the tea break saw MUCC 3/91. From then on, regular wickets and disciplined bowling from the Blues made runs hard to come by. We lost 6 wickets for 60 runs while for the second week running James Graham dug in and held the innings together. At stumps we are 9/184 with an experienced Hamish Bull (6 no) and young Graham (33 no) having combined for an unbeaten 30 for the last wicket.

MUCC 5th XI went down to bottom of the ladder Reds in what could prove a crucial loss for the side.

Facing a challenging task on Saturday afternoon batting on a pitch that had been well watered during the week, then covered early on Friday and left to sweat, the target of 167 on the mammoth Cordner oval was always going to be a challenge. The heavily grassed deck that was also interspersed with clumps of weeds gave great assistance to the bowlers all day, with some horrendous sideways movement matched nicely with inconsistent bounce. Skipper Jesse Draeger and Scott Leggett opened up solidly, before a contentious LBW decision removed the younger Leggett brother. Chris Guy was promoted to number 3 with many of MUCC's key batmen missing for this game, and did an excellent job scoring 21 before being bowled by a blinder. From 2/63 and looking a chance, wickets then fell consistently through the middle order, with 2 more contentious LBWs not helping our cause. Draeger fell for a very hard earned 36, including the only 2 boundaries of the day, and D'Souza made the only other score of note with a well earned 17. MUCC's final total was 9/101 with Nicholson not batting after he broke a rib during the week in a Winter Olympics inspired accident. The final 5 wickets fell for just 3 runs, with the tail unfortunately continuing what has been a regular story of collapse this season. All efforts will now be focussed the final game of the season next Sunday. 

The VWCA XI went into the last round of the season needing a victory to have a chance at making finals – something which hasn’t occurred for many many years. Winning the toss Uni batted first and made 3/190 from 40 overs. Ledene Ellis (72*) and Madeleine Mitchell (81) scored the majority of the runs in a record 2nd wicket partnership of 160. In reply Monash Gryphons scored 7/135 from 40 overs. All bowlers performed well with Zoe (2/15), Ellie (1/25), Rachelle (1/22) and Madeleine (1/22) sharing the wickets. Uni also took two vital run out opportunities removing two of Monash’s danger batswomen. With another result from the weekend going the desired way the VWCA XI are to play competition leader Darebin in the semi-finals on Saturday at A.H Capp Reserve, West Preston.