A SUPREME all-round bowling and fielding performance helped Berwick Cricket Club's top-of-the-table turf1 side crush Narre Warren on Saturday.
After rain prevented play last Saturday week, the fixture was reduced to a one-day match.
Sent in to bat, Berwick kept wickets in hand, but some tight bowling from Narre restricted the Wicks to 5-167 of its allotted 40 overs.
Brad Francis' composed 66 to help capitalise on a strong start from openers Josh Holden (21) and Rob Chilver (20).
It was up to the bowlers to protect the smallish total and they did it on the bit, skittling Narre for just 59 in 18 overs.
The two Jims, Davies (3-26) and Prendergast (2-11), removed the first five bats with the new pill before Dave Dalzotto (3-19) and Cam McDonnell (2-2) finished the job.
Captain Paul Evans said the Wicks struggled early on the difficult Sweeney Reserve wicket.
"We found it hard to get away, but we had wickets in hand and that gave us the chance to have a go in the later overs. We then bowled well in tight areas and never gave them a chance to get away."
The ones have secured top spot on the ladder and take on lowly St Mary's in this week's last round as a finals warm-up.
"Ultimately, there's probably six sides more than capable of winning it all," said Evans.
For the Wicks to win it all, Evans said, the in-form Francis (417 runs at 52) and Prendergast (14 wickets at 16) had to fire.
The twos got rolled outright by the Southern Pirates in turf2. The Pirates declared at 3-127 in reply to the Wicks pitiful 84 in its first dig. Faring a little better in the second dig, Berwick managed 106, before the Pirates chased down the necessary 66 runs, four wickets down.
The A graders prevailed in a thrilling chase, hunting down St Mary's 6-246 in the 68th over.
In all sorts of trouble at 3-33, the total looked a long way off, but Marty McGauran (68) joined linchpin Ryan Williamson (81) at the crease to breath new life into the chase.
The pair put on a 138-run partnership and, despite a couple of hiccups, the Wicks were able to get home seven wickets down.
In B grade, veteran Geoff Wilcock (61) and Sam Curtis (57 not out) guided their side to an unlikely reverse outright victory over Coomoora. Berwick was rolled for 119 in reply to Coomoora's 178 on first innings. Coomoora then smashed 6-86 off 10 overs before declaring in a bid to secure the 10 points. But it backfired as the Wicks cruised to 3-149 off 18 overs.
Curtis said Coomoora made the declaration because his side had two youngsters injured. "They declared thinking it would leave enough time to roll us. But we have some experienced bats and few of us didn't bat very well in the first dig. We did the job and reversed them."
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