By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong has finished its Vic Premier Cricket season on a high, upsetting second-placed Carlton by 52 runs.
After choosing to bat first at Shepley Oval, the top four set the game up, but none was able to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Skipper Nicole Faltum and Vanchica Pathania (32) put on 51 for the first wicket before Faltum had her stumps rattled for 31, but her efforts were backed up Tiana Atkinson (35) and Linsey Smith (32).
Jess Matin and Poppy Gardner both chipped in with important middle-order cameos to give the bowlers more to bowl at than they’ve had in previous weeks, the team often plagued by a slow scoring rate.
Cardinia local Broklyn Diwell was again handed the new ball and built up pressure in her first spell which saw Thivyaa Mahendran pick up the first wicket, that of Sophie Reid, the over after she was taken off.
Reid’s fellow opener, Caitlin Green’s dismissal nine overs dismissal sparked a collapse of 3/1 in 10 balls which swung the match firmly in favour of the Panthers.
After briefly threatening to rebuild via the fifth-wicket partnership, middle-order batter Kiara Jones’ wicket, picked up by Acacia Sutton, sparked another collapse, this time of 4/19 which halted scoring and any counterpunch Carlton looked to build.
The visitors were eventually dismissed for 151 in 45 overs.
Despite the result, Dandenong still finished the season at the foot of the nine team table, its three wins equal with Ringwood – and, remarkably, just two behind third-placed Prahran – but with an inferior net run rate.
