DEER Park Ardeer went from reeling to rolling top-of-the-table Melton Centrals in a Williamstown District Cricket Association surprise at the weekend.
Centrals, defending 198 from the previous weekend, had the Lions 4-43 in reply after a collapse of 3-6 inspired by Scott Lumley.
But a 97-run stand for the fifth wicket turned the game in Deer Park Ardeer's favour, with the visitors to Blackwood Reserve reaching the target with two wickets in hand.
Lumley finished with 3-45 and Jamie Bolger with 4-47. Bolger almost won the game for Central as he removed Deer Park Ardeer's Mark Suvada (51) and Craig Dawson (16) to make the score 8-193.
But Ricky Suvada (56no) survived to get Deer Park Ardeer the winning runs.
Central retained top spot on the A2 Turf ladder in spite of the defeat, its 39 points on the table ahead of Footscray ANA (36) and Melton South (33).
South consolidated its finals position with a 138-run win against Williamstown Congs.
The Congs suffered two batting collapses to be bowled out for 189 in reply to Melton South's 6-327 made the previous weekend.
The Congs lost 3-1 to go from 1-81 to 4-82, then later in the innings lost 4-4 to go from 4-155 to 8-159.
Darren Beckett (3-41) and Dean Pirro (3-45) were the best Melton South bowlers.
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