WOODEND'S even spread of wicket-taking bowlers inspired two Rupertswood batting collapses to set up a 60-run win in McIntyre Cup at the weekend.
The Gisborne District Cricket Association ladder leader successfully defended 8-210 against Rupo at the weekend, leaving the defeated team outside the top four by nine points.
Riddell capitalised on the result, thrashing Romsey to move to 39 points in fourth ahead of fifth-placed Rupertswood on 30.
Woodend (48) leads the McIntyre Cup by three points from Sunbury United (45), while third-placed Bacchus Marsh (42) remains in the mix for top spot with three rounds to go.
Josh Eastley's four wickets and two each for Chris Boyer and Elliott Massina led Woodend to victory as it bowled out Rupertswood for 150.
Rupertswood slumped to 3-19 before some middle-order resistance from Matthew Busuttil, who top-scored with 32.
Behind the run rate and with the innings winding towards the 80-over cut off, Rupertswood lost its last four wickets for three runs.
Sunbury United didn't have a big individual score but still built a winning total around Ryan Billinghurst (44), Lindon Dowsett (42) and Lance Watts (45).
Sunbury (9-194) successfully chased Wallan's 167 made the previous weekend.
Riddell had 362 runs in the bank to defend against Romsey and needed only 46 overs to seal the points as it bowled out the home team for 109.
Chris Burkett's 45 was the only double-figure score in the top six as Ryan Hughes (3-29), Cam Clayton (2-15) and Cameron Moran (2-26) took the bulk of the wickets.
Romsey was sent into bat again but successfully negated 14 overs and made 0-51 to defuse any chance of an outright loss.
Macedon and Bacchus Marsh played a one-day game after no play was possible last weekend, with the Bulls winning by 141 runs.
Bacchus Marsh made 4-205 off its 40 overs batting first before rolling Macedon for just 64.
In B grade, Gisborne Dragons defended 246, bowling out Riddell for 81 in reply.
Darcy Nolan (4-16) and Lawrence Webb (3-19) led the bowling attack as Riddell was all out in the 60th over.
Sunbury couldn't defend 122 against Bacchus Marsh second XI, with the home team making 7-175 at Maddingley Park.
Gisborne Dragons leads the ladder with 45 points from Sunbury on 42, while St Anthonys is within striking distance in third on 39.
In C grade, Hesket made a game of defending just 72 against East Sunbury, albeit with the visitors getting the win by four wickets at Hanging Rock Reserve.
East Sunbury declared after reaching 9-113 in reply, before Hesket batted out 30 overs to stumps and made 9-82.
East Sunbury's William Osborne finished with match figures of 8-30.
Diggers Rest Bulla Village got to within two wickets of outright victory after successfully defending 226 against Macedon.
Macedon made 93 off 53 overs in its first innings then finished 8-68 off 29 overs following on. Rhys Berry finished with 4-35 for the Burras.
Lancefield was bowled out for 87 chasing Sunbury United's 9-250 before making 6-116 in its second dig.
Diggers Rest Bulla Village leads C grade with 48 points from East Sunbury on 42.
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