By Ewen McRae
Hoppers Crossing has comfortably accounted for Elsternwick in south-west first XI sub-district cricket, adding spice to the coming weekend’s top-of-the table clash with Williamstown.
The Hoppers Crossing win was set up by the bowlers, their handy display with the new ball at the weekend helping restrict Elsternwick to just 128 from its 45 overs.
Brett Smith got the Cats off to the perfect start when he trapped Lachlan Baker in front for an 11-ball duck.
He soon had Elsternwick captain Cameron Christiansen edging behind for eight to have the home side in trouble.
Bryce Stuart (2-24) and Khush Talati (1-8 off nine overs) then teamed up to snare three quick wickets as the hosts’ innings fell apart.
Hoppers Crossing was able to take wickets throughout the day.
If not for a 58-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Gorman (31) and Callum Sinclair (27no), Elsternwick would likely have failed to reach triple figures.
Smith returned late to knock over Gorman, finishing with 3-29.
In reply, the Cats were in early trouble when Cameron Nicol (4) and Jack Rhodes (2) fell cheaply, but the partnership of Nick Keast and Trent Said got them back on track.
Keast had his stumps disturbed for 18, and from there Said (39) and Luke Goegan (40no) took the Cats to the brink of victory.
Will Partington-Gardner hit a quick-fire 16 late to ice the game.
Hoppers Crossing and Williamstown are now the only unbeaten sides in the south-west division. They will fight out a two-day clash from this weekend.
Elsewhere, Werribee’s winning run came to an end as it struggled to contain Ormond’s middle order.
Werribee started perfectly, with Tim Gage (2-39) knocking over both openers in the second over to have Ormond reeling at 2-2, but from there Ormond’s fightback began.
Johann Wise made just 16, but the partnership of James Wild (68) and Gihan Perera (77) set the game up for the visitors as they put on 122 together.
Ormond finished on 6-206 from its 45 overs.
Werribee’s reply got off to a horror start when Andrew Ford (1), Shaun Dean (9) and captain Tim O’Brien (12) all fell cheaply.
Matthew Dean and Chris Hennessy put on a 46-run stand, but when Hennessy (25) was dismissed, the innings unravelled further.
Dean played a lone hand with 63, but the tail couldn’t mount much of a challenge, with Werribee dismissed for 157 in the penultimate over.
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