MELTON'S tail-enders ensured its much-vaunted bowling attack would have almost 100 extra runs to defend this weekend after the Lions posted 247 against Werribee at the weekend.
The Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association title chasers slumped after a promising start but found lower-order resistance to bat out day one at MacPherson Park.
Melton went into the round level on points with north-west first XI top team Kew, while Werribee is seventh with just half the Lions' 48-point tally.
Michael Alexander went early for Melton with the score 1-13, but Mick Allen (65) and Anthony Gale (58) put on 92 for the second wicket to put the Lions in the ascendancy.
Allen’s wicket at 2-105 was the first in a steady stream of wickets that yielded 6-62 through the middle order for Werribee’s bowlers.
When Nathan Allen fell, the score was 7-167 and Werribee looked likely to get an early start in the run chase.
Nathan Geisler (28) got the score to 200 with Duncan Harrison (37) before opening bowler Brad Jones (35) frustrated the Werribee bowlers.
The last three wickets cost Werribee 80 runs in the end, with Melton making it to the 78th over, 247 all out.
Melton will play Balwyn at Balwyn Park tonight in the VSDCA Twenty20 semi-final for the chance to play the winner of Caulfield and Oakleigh in the final.
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