Green on top as Lions roar

Royals captain Mitch Green has plundered his second century of the season, guiding the Lions to an important 41-run win over Collingwood Park at Turf South in round four of the Albany Cricket Association A-grade competition on Sunday.

The Lions secured their second win of the season after Green made a superb 123 to set up a difficult run chase for their rivals, posting 197 batting first.

Nathan De Graaf troubled the Lions attack but Marcus Mellon helped seal the victory taking four wickets as his side secured a bonus point.

Green’s innings contained nine fours and one six and came off just 119 balls.

Cohen Chapman and Green put on 49 runs for the first wicket before Chapman fell on 20.

Matt Wolfe joined Green at the crease as the latter put the foot down bringing up his half century.

Wolfe hung around with Green for 12 overs before being dismissed for 17 but the newly appointed skipper kept going as the Lions eyed a big total.

As wickets fell around him, Green continued to score and after the dismissal of Ted Batchelor he scored 22 of the next 27 runs to bring up his ton in terrific fashion.

Green was eventually undone by Park’s Matt Heberle with the score at 181 and the Lions scratched their way to 197 all out.

Heberle returned impressive figures of 4-34 off his eight overs while Andre Gabriel snared three wickets.

Two early wickets helped the Lions stay in control of the game but a 50-run stand between De Graaf and key batsman Nathan Dovey halted the Lions’ momentum.

Dovey was in ominous touch, cracking three fours and a six in his innings of 32 but he holed out in the deep off the bowling off Ryley Valli to give the teenager his first A-grade scalp. Green then ran out Jarrod Hanson and when Mellon knocked Gabriel’s stumps over Park were in trouble at 5-84.

Mellon’s impact continued to grow as he reduced Park to 8-132 after removing Adam Ditchburn, Tim Pyle and Steve Van Nierop in a telling spell.

De Graaf remained Park’s hope of an unlikely victory as he played some crisp strokes on his way to a fighting half century.

Mitch Woods departed on four and then De Graaf was the last man out as Park fell short, bowled out for 156 in the 36th over.

Mellon took 4-48 from his nine overs to be a key part of the Lions’ win as they cemented their place inside the top four.