Central Park-St Brendan’s’ Jarrod Wakeling led the line as usual in a strong result.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Deakin Reserve and who could complain being top of the tree?
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Central Park-St Brendan’s has unquestionably become one of the competition’s two white-hot outfits and, following Saturday’s result in Shepparton in signing off the year against Waaia, the ladder bears that out.
The Bombers won the toss and made the gutsy decision to take on the Tiger bowlers straight away, resulting in immediate disaster as Damien Atkins nicked behind with the day’s first delivery.
Central Park-St Brendan's keeper Nate Earl had a huge day capped off with a stumping.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
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Central Park Fielder Connor Hayes.Cricket Shepparton A-grade Haisman Shield round nine.Central Park-St Brendan's vs Waaia @ Deakin Reserve.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Central Park-St Brendan's Dwain Vidler got some velocity on his delivery.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Waaia's Jesse Trower manages to escape with the run.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Waaia's Will Trower sets himself to defend.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Central Park-St Brendan's Brendan Scott weighs up field positions.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Waaia's Jesse Trower and James Carpenter take a moment to think it over.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Waaia's Connor Brown scores with ease.
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Rechelle Zammit
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Central Park-St Brendan's Ramadan Yze was part of another typically excellent bowling operation.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
It was yet again that a Cleeland would take the headlines on offence for the visiting side, but for the second straight week, Jordan was the one to deliver the goods.
The opening role suited him well, taking the initiative to ram home four fours and a six with a knock of 43 that aimed to supercharge the stumbling early innings.
By his side throughout was Brayden Carey, who certainly paid his way with a solid 39, although, he would watch Cleeland and Liam Evans depart on back-to-back balls from Jarrod Wakeling.
Matters from that point forward were largely straightforward for the yellow and black, with everyone beneath five-hitter Mitch Cleeland restricted to single figures as 146 became the magic number.
Having ground Waaia’s offence into the dirt, the proverbial Winviz was well and truly pointing homeward, but Central Park hardly made the most encouraging start to its chase with Connor Brown producing a pair of scares to send Rhiley Lau and Jack McCarten packing cheaply.
Skipper Tyler Larkin and returning recruit Connor Hayes each had a chance to continue their respective rich veins of form and what a job they did together.
Larkin was able to crash and bash his way to another statement 50, averaging more than a half-century across his rampant past five outings.
Once all was said and done as Will Trower finally obtained the scalp, the Tigers were already well on their way as Hayes picked the pace up in Larkin’s absence.
Mitchell Brett would make a perfectly handy contribution in at five as the pair steamed forth, knocking in the remaining 64 runs themselves to secure a comprehensive seven-wicket result to close out a promising year.
THE GAME
Central Park-St Brendan’s 4-147 (Tyler Larkin 56, Connor Hayes 48*, Connor Brown 2-45) d Waaia 145 (Jordan Cleeland 43, Brayden Carey 39, Jarrod Wakeling 3-29)
STAR PLAYER
Tyler Larkin (Central Park-St Brendan’s): Not many in the region are seeing them better than the Tigers boss, hitting at a tremendous clip across his past month of action. He steered the early and middle portions of this chase with aplomb and made it a simple equation.
Central Park has yet to meet its match since a round two defeat to Nagambie, and a helpful set of six points sees Larkin’s men obtain a share of top spot alongside Kyabram, also on a fair old winning run.
Meanwhile, last season’s undisputed regular-season pacesetters from up north bow out of the calendar year in a remarkable tailspin.
Waaia has dropped its past three completed games, suddenly with work to do just to touch the top six again in now falling six points behind Katandra in seventh spot.
