SPORT Dandenong - The season so far By Nicholas Creely The Panther is pouncing once more with the Dandenong Cricket Club nearing the Christmas break as heavy favourites for this year’s Premier Cricket premiership. After missing out on finals for three straight years, and enduring some tough and testing soul searching moments, the light is well and truly at the end of the tunnel. Entering the season, newly appointed coach Nick Speak said that the club had a “really young list” that the players “weren’t far off ” and that they can “challenge top six at worst, and club championship top four”. Despite the snickering of others who believed Dandenong was destined for another “nothing” season, Speak and his hungry Panthers have defied the odds and played a stunning first half of the season. No player has really dominated on an individual sense - it’s been a team collective effort that has pushed them to greater heights. But one innings definitely at least warrants a mention. In Round 3 skipper Tom Donnell blasted one of the more astonishing innings ever seen at that level. His unbeaten 114 against Melbourne University in just 62 balls was one of those moments that has sparked the Panthers to continually brutalize their opposition. Then there is the prodigiously talented James Pattinson who, only just two weeks ago, blasted 137 in a Twenty20. Let that sink in. But despite these astonishing individual performances, other members have risen to the level. It can be argued that no other player in the competition this season has improved so dramatically like James Nanopoulos. The all-rounder is having a special first half of the season, knocking out 219 runs with the bat at an average of 43.80. But with the ball, Nanopoulos has already taken 17 wickets at 20.06.
James Nanopoulos has been one of the stars for the Panthers so far this season. 160414_06 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Lincoln Edwards has had a strong start at his To put these statistics into perspective, Nanopoulos had 189 runs at an average of 17.2, new club, including two match-winning halfand 12 wickets at 28.9 at the same stage last sea- centuries, Adam McMaster continues to improve and get quicker with the ball and, despite son.
Sharp end of the season sees Bloods talent flow By Nicholas Creely It’s an exciting time to be at Springvale South with an exciting crop of talent set to take the Bloods to the pointy end of the season. It’s been a tricky first half of the season for the Bloods who, despite not being at their absolute best, still find a way to win. And club skipper and DDCA legend Craig Slocombe believes that the hard work is ahead of the group, is uncertain where they are placed in the bigger picture, but believes there is significant talent. “I always try and pull the top seven or eight and think we may have four of them covered for instance, and if we win those four and win another three from the rest we should play finals,” he said. “It’s hard to know at this stage and we are nowhere near knowing how we are travelling because we have some very hard games after the break which is going to test us, no doubt. “There’s a lot of guys that are a little overdue to start showing their talent and Nathan King got his first 100 this year out at Dingley a couple of games ago - let’s hope he can keep it going - he is a very talented man,” he said. “But also Dylan Quirk is in some serious form with the bat in my opinion, and the way he is batting and his attitude to it all is excellent - he is in for a massive second half of the year, I think.” But arguably the biggest bolter has been the tear-away quick from Sri Lanka Rajith Priyan who is starting to become a force to be reckoned with in the Turf 1 ranks. “This is Rajith’s first year at the club - he made his own way over here from Sri Lanka, I knew virtually nothing about him before he got there - he is just a hardworking, honest swing bowler and, as we saw in the second innings last week, he can certainly hold a bat as well.” 36 DANDENONG JOURNAL Monday, 12 December, 2016
not getting much opportunity with the bat so far, Jacques Augustin is relishing his opportunity with the gloves since crossing over from Fitzroy-Doncaster. And players like Callum Parkinson, who adds a vital professional component, gun batsman Brett Forsyth and young gun Edward Newman round out such a balanced squad. But perhaps the biggest story is the comeback of Australian quick James Pattinson, who has flourished in his return from serious injury setbacks. In his 10 games this season, ‘Patto’ has made 371 runs at 53.00 and with the ball, which he is apparently stronger in, he has taken 6 wickets after only resuming bowling a month ago. In what has been a fairly comprehensive first half of the season, the Panthers have only lost two games, and, at this stage, have won eight and sit atop the ladder. Their grittiest win was arguably in Round 7 when they played Kingston Hawthorn at Walt Galt Reserve. The week prior, the Panthers were stunned when they came to the ground to find the pitch under water, despite the weather being perfect and the sun blazing. They came back the very next week, with just one day to go, and chased down 197 in just 38.1 overs, after the Hawks threatened to bat out the last day. It won’t get easier for the Panthers, who will eventually return back to cricket after the new year with expectation they can take it all the way in 2016/17. There is plenty more cricket left to play and the old adage that ‘cricket is a funny game’ and anything can happen certainly applied, but the Panthers are well and truly placed for a tilt at a premiership, and with it, the respect of the competition.
Under 21s third shield By Nicholas Creely
Rajith Priyan is impressing in his first season for the Bloods. 161142
Picture: GARY SISSONS
The DDCA Under 21s remain undefeated, winning its third Neil Weight Shield match against Box Hill Reporter DCA at Rowley Allen Reserve in Keysborough on Sunday 4 December. In what has been a highly successful campaign for the representative heavyweights, the DDCA is set for another finals series. The DDCA elected to bat, with a series of starts by Liam Hamilton (38) from Springvale South, Darcy Hellriegel (36) from Buckley Ridges, Rob Peat (28) from St Mary’s, Jakob Woinarski (25) from Mordialloc and skipper Jordan Hammond (25) from Hallam-Kalora Park lifting them to 8/178 off their 40 overs - another solid score considering their slow start. But the Box Hill DCA is a notoriously strong batting side having been inside the top four in runs scored this tournament so a solid bowling effort was truly required. With the ball, the DDCA were well served by Josh Dowling from Narre North, who bowled a fine spell to finish with 4/13. The Box Hill DCA finished on 7/172, seven runs short of victory in a thrilling match. Dowling has been highly impressive in the carnival round-robin, leading the wicket tally with seven majors for the DDCA. In a side coached by legendary cricketer Craig Slocombe, the DDCA are well placed for yet another Neil Wright Shield next to its name. The DDCA Under 21s have finished second on the ladder and are expected to tackle Ringwood DCA in the semi-final on 15 January, but the date, venue and opposition is yet to be formally announced.