By Marcus Uhe
A tremendous upset win for Hallam Kalora Park over Buckley Ridges has thrown another twist into the tumultuous Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 season, with Hawks skipper Jordan Hammond declaring he was “very proud” of his side’s performance.
The Hawks chased Buckley Ridges’ target of 191 in the 73rd over of the afternoon, with a Hammond straight drive alleviating the nervous tension on the Hawks bench as the enormity of the result hit home.
Buckley Ridges fought tooth-and-nail until the bitter end, with senior heads in Jayson Hobbs, Ben Wright, Roshane Silva and Troy Aust all converging on a number of occasions to strategise their way to snatching points for a famous victory.
Their endeavours ultimately proved to be in vain, suffering their first loss for the 2023/24 season.
“We probably let it get a bit closer than we probably should have, which is a bit disappointing, but a win is a win,” Hammond said.
“We said at the start of the day that if somebody got 80-plus that we’d have no issues getting it four or five down, which would have been the case.
“Eight down is probably not how we wanted to win, but we’ll take it.”
It was an even spread of contributors that did the job for the Hawks, a contrast for a side that had relied on too few to carry the load on a number of occasions in this campaign.
All Hawks batters in the top seven, aside from Jagveer Hayer, reached double figures, with Ben Hillard and Matthew Cox hitting their highest scores of the season to date.
Hillard hit an important 52 in the crucial number-three role, forming small but important partnerships with the middle order as the Hawks chipped away at the target.
Hayer was the first to go, edging one of the competition’s form players in Ishan Jayarathna down the leg side into the awaiting gloves of Aust.
Leigh Booth could then count himself unlucky, run out after a ricochet from Faridullah Khil in his follow through off a Hillard straight drive.
At 4/131 at the tea break, the Hawks were well in-control of the contest, a mere 60 runs from victory with wickets in the shed, with Hillard and Hammond at the crease.
Hobbs and Buckley Ridges coach Manjula Munasinhge engaged in a lengthy discussion at the break to brainstorm ways of working back into the contest, settling on a concerted approach of accurate, tidy bowling in an attempt to restrict the flow of runs, on a wicket considerably better for batting than what their side faced the week before.
Jayarathna, Sanka Dinesh and Michael Davies were the bowlers entrusted with the responsibility after the break, Davies bringing the match-winning pedigree that saw him dig his side out of tremendous trouble a fortnight earlier against St Mary’s.
Hillard fell to Davies, attempting a lofted shot to the leg side, the pressure built by maidens and the line bowled by the visitors appearing to frustrate the left-hander.
Ciaron Connolly joined Hammond after Hillard’s departure and copped a barrage of balls on his pads, but survived constant pleas from the Buckley bowlers for LBW.
Hammond, meanwhile, took advantage of the deliberate straight-line approach, working the ball into gaps when deliveries strayed to the leg side.
Desperate for a spark, Buckley Ridges tried all sorts of options with the ball, with Hobbs turning to Jake Cronin for his first overs of the season and Silva for his second bowl in 2023/24.
Cronin had Lauchlan Gregson caught in the deep, one of three late wickets to fall to keep Buckley’s chances of snatching an unlikely victory alive.
But with Hammond at the crease, Hallam Kalora Park had a cool head in a crisis.
Buckley did its best to dictate the strike, allowing Hammond singles in an effort to bowl to the Hawks’ tail instead.
With each run came raucous applause and encouragement from the Hawks’ dugout, closing in on an important victory that would return them right to the heart of finals contention.
The penultimate over from Jayarathna included two hearty appeals for LBW and two near run-outs between Hammond and Charith Keerthisinghe, but Hammond remained resolute, steering his side to the safety of six points.
Hammond finished unbeaten on 43, while Dinesh and Jayarathna took two wickets each for Buckley Ridges.
The win sees the Hawks tie with Buckley Ridges on 33 points, with both sides one point behind Narre South in third on 34, while only three points ahead of North Dandenong in sixth.
Critically, wins against likely finals combatants in Berwick and Buckley Ridges give the Hawks an enormous boost, should a match up eventuate in March.
“It’s good to get wins against good sides just for everyone’s confidence,” Hammond said.
“Against Springvale South, a few of the boys have mindsets that we’re a little bit negative, but to get wins against the better sides, holds us in good stead and gets the boys a bit more up and about before the game.
“The win today has really set us up to have a really good finish.
“Ideally, if we can get a second chance or a home final, that’s what we’re aiming for.
“Obviously we aim to win all our games, but if we at least win two of the last three, we’ll be happy.”
Final ladder position aside, Hammond believes the Hawks have a secret weapon over the remainder of the field.
“One thing with us, especially in the premiership year, I wouldn’t say that we’re the best side on paper, but as an 11 or 12 blokes, I don’t reckon there’s a team in the competition that’s closer than us, and I reckon that camaraderie really brings the best out of most blokes.
“It’s pretty good to be playing with 10-11 other blokes that you really get along with.”
Buckley Ridges face a huge challenge next week against Springvale South, with the Hawks heading to North Dandenong in another pivotal clash.
