VSDCA: Sunshine beaten by Plenty Valley as batting woes continue

Sunshine is mired deeper into the Sub-District cricket quicksand after a miserable weekend.

The Crows were battered from pillar to post by premiership contenders Plenty Valley in a 119-run loss on the road at AK Line Reserve.

The signs were bad from the start, as Plenty Valley skipper Michael Sheedy took to the Crows bowlers with 15 fours and a six in his 126.

Crows opening bowler Hassan Fazal was the shining light, eventually snaring the prized scalp of Sheedy and finishing with an impressive 3-59 off 15 overs.

Fazal has produced with the ball on a consistent basis since arriving from England as one of the club’s import players.

He has taken 12 wickets at an economical 13.9 in his opening five matches, including a six-for on debut.

The rest of the Crows attack toiled away, but their breakthroughs were far too irregular.

Matthew Taaffe was the only other multiple wicket taker with 2-21, the third time in a row he has taken two wickets.

Sunshine had passed 200 only once this summer, all the way back in round one, so declaring at 7-256 seemed a safe bet for Plenty Valley.

The judgement was proven correct and the Crows could muster only 137 from 53.2 overs on the second day with four ducks among the carnage.

A 58-run third wicket partnership between opener Sam Magnano (36) and second drop Sam Dutton (40) was the only resistance offered by an otherwise disappointing Crows batting line-up.

The Crows are alone in last spot with just one victory in nine rounds.

They host the 10th-placed Balwyn in a two-day match at Dempster Park over the next two Saturdays.

Meanwhile, Sunshine was neither here nor there in the under-15 Craig Shield, finishing mid-table.

The junior Crows had two wins, two draws and two losses in their west group games to finish fourth of seven teams. Their victories came against bottom two sides Melton in round two and Altona on the last match day.

The individual stand-outs for the Crows were Aaron Ciavarella, eighth in the group aggregate with 88 runs at 22, and William Slattery, eighth- leading wicket-taker with seven at 11.14.