The rain came at a most inopportune time for Sunshine United, Altona North and the neutral spectators in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association north-west division match at Selwyn Park on Saturday.
Normally a washout saves or spoils a team’s day, but this one proved anti-climactic for both clubs, which had toiled away for 58 overs and had a pulsating finish to the day interrupted by stormy Melbourne weather.
Sunshine United captain Neeten Chouhan described the day one outcome as a true 50-50, as Altona North made 7-153 off 58 overs and left a tasty cliffhanger for day two.
“The game is probably in the balance,” Chouhan said. “The wicket moved around and their batsmen did well to handle the movement.
“We did well to get wickets quite regularly, which culled them back. They’ll bat for another 11 overs and we’ll have 69 overs to face whatever score they get.”
Nick Millar was the talk of the Sunshine United camp on Saturday night after a stellar bowling performance. The first-change bowler took 4-36 off 15 overs, including four maidens.
At one stage, Millar was on a hat-trick.
“He was consistently bowling on a back of a length, outside off stump and they tried to pull balls that weren’t short enough,” Chouhan said.
Harvinder Singh, Michael Glowacki and Thomas Duxson took a wicket apiece, while Karandeep Singh had impressive figures of 0-8 off eight.
It was a typical United performance that gives them a chance of toppling the undefeated Altona North.
“Everyone was pretty energetic, no one really stood out,” Chouhan said. “That’s the way our team is run.”
Meanwhile, Keilor Park has a second win in its sights after posting 201 off 53 overs against St Albans on a rain interrupted day at Ray Davies Reserve Oval.
Ethan McShanag was the star for the Devils, overcoming illness to post 82 not out, his second half century in as many games.
Devils captain-coach Joe Carland describes McShanag as “a hell of a talent”.
“Today he wasn’t feeling the greatest, so we dropped him down the order and he batted superbly with the tail,” Carland said.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better innings from a 17 year old.”
Keilor Park’s top order fired, including import Andy Davies (20), Anthony Tedesco (27) and Hywel Jones (28).
“I can see some positive signs in most of our top order at the moment,” Carland said.
St Albans is 1-23 in reply.
PEGS was bowled out for just 98 against Haig Fawkner, which is 1-17 in reply.
In senior division, Keilor posted 4-143 off 50 overs against Strathmore at Syd McGain Oval before rain stopped play.
In north A1, Sydenham-Hillside secured first-innings points over Barkly Street Uniting on day one, finishing the day with a 50-run first-innings lead.
Shanaka Silva was incredible with the ball for the Storm, taking 5-12 off 9.2.
Alex Hassett (68no) and Kaluwahandi Prasad (56no) were the cornerstones of the Storm’s successful run chase.
