Keilor slipped to its second loss of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division season on Saturday, after failing to contain opponent Spotswood’s middle order.
Defending just 173 from day one, Keilor had early wickets in the Spotswood innings but was unable to capitalise on that momentum as the visiting side took the first innings points for the loss of five wickets.
Both the Spotswood openers were dismissed cheaply as Tawalampolage Darshanapriya and Matthew Dargan grabbed a wicket each, but from 2-11 Spotswood recovered to 3-68 to give itself a solid platform for the middle order.
Sam Davis came into the attack and grabbed a vital breakthrough, but an 88-run partnership between Leigh Forbes (61) and Nick Bartol (24) took Spotswood to the brink of the win at 5-161.
It passed Keilor’s first innings total, and batted on before eventually being dismissed for 237.
Darshanapriya (2-36) and Dargan (3-36) were vital for the home side, while Upal Bandara toiled hard across 16 overs on his way to 3-37.
Keilor batted 30 overs late in the day before the match finished with the home side 5-60.
Elsewhere, twin centuries from Asela Aluthge and Troy Stone delivered Sunshine a thumping win over Caroline Springs in the North A1 division.
Chasing Caroline Springs’ 230 from day one, and resuming on 1-19, Sunshine was 3-59 when Aluthge and Stone came together for a huge 259-run partnership to take the win.
Both men peppered the boundary fences, with Stone hitting 16 boundaries and two sixes on his way to 113, and Aluthge even more belligerent as he hit 23 fours and 10 sixes in his sublime 191.
Sunshine eventually finished the day on 5-383, keeping its unbeaten start to the summer intact ahead of this week’s top of the table clash with Moonee Valley.
Caroline Springs will look to regroup and will chase its second win when it travels to play Aberfeldie Park this week.
