With a top-four position guaranteed in the Round 11 Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association fixture, Mount Eliza defeated Somerville in front of a packed house.
On Day 1, Somerville posted 213 against a relentless Mounties attack, with skipper Kiefer Peries anchoring the innings with a well-crafted 58, while opening partner Luke Rowe smacked a quick-fire 39. Brad McDonald (33), Craig Black (29), and Matt Eager (20) made valuable contributions.
For Mt Eliza, Tommy Baron and Ravindu Kodithuwakku shared the spoils, taking nine wickets between them across a marathon 59 overs.
In reply, Mt Eliza was immediately in trouble, with Somerville tearaway quick Ryan McNamara sending both openers back to the pavilion cheaply. However, classy Mt Eliza batsmen Jean-Luc Talbot (a magnificent 108*) and Josh Goudge (78*) stifled any hope of a Somerville victory with a dominant 164-run partnership.
The coveted Graf-Neal Cup was removed from the Somerville trophy cabinet and headed straight for Wooralla Drive after being presented to the winning team by 10-time MPCA legend Brian McCue.
It was a massive day at The Nest, with premiership players from the 1974-75, 2004-05, and 2014-15 championship teams gathering to reminisce about the glory days, while the club’s coterie group, ‘The Bald Eagles,’ also packed out the social rooms.
In further great news for the tenant clubs at Somerville Recreation Reserve, the Federal Member for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, announced a whopping $5,000,000 pledge for an upgrade—should she be victorious in the upcoming Federal election.
