MELVILLE requires just 50 runs to secure first inning points after a productive first day against Gosnells at Sutherlands Park.
The Storm’s Matthew Wiley (31 off 51) and Brad Turner (five off 14) guided the visitors to 4-99 at the close of play on Saturday, with Gosnells’ total of 149 very much within reach.
Melville was rewarded after winning the toss and sending Gosnells in to bat.
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READ NOWThe visitors cut through the hosts’ batting order, with number four Matthew Leipold (52 from 105) providing the only scoring threat for the home side.
Leipold’s innings included seven boundaries.
Number 10 Jaxom Rose finished as his side’s second-highest scorer for the day with 19 from 45.
Melville quick Ryan Duffield added three wickets to his haul for the season, including the prized scalps of Leipold and opener Timothy Hale.
Thomas Kerr-Sheppard, Bryce Jackson and Brad Turner each claimed two wickets.
Chasing the modest total, Melville was soon in trouble losing opener Blake Reed and Tom Scollay with the score on zero.
Both batsmen fell to the bowling of Rose.
Skipper Luke Towers (30 from 50) and Drew Porter (31 from 57) then stabilised the chase before the former was bowled by Leipold.
Porter was dismissed 28 runs later to see Melville at 4-82.
But Wiley and Turner pulled Melville through to the end of play on day one with the win very much in sight.
Day two resumes Saturday at 11.40am.