By Jonty Ralphsmith
Star News DDCA Turf 2 reporter Jonty Ralphsmith spoke to the winning Dandenong West team after their grand final win over Parkfield.
NATHAN POWER
His season: Always looked composed at the crease and was given the role of batting time in the top three, which he often did, but made just 164 runs at 10.
Quote: “I’ve been pretty dry on runs but off field I’m working on my game and when I’m in the middle I’m feeling really good; the club hasn’t put any pressure on me which has been important. I’ve been looking to get my feet going to the right positions. I feel like I’m alright when I’m leaving it but sometimes when I drive my feet just aren’t going anywhere.”
SHAUN WEIR
His season: The move to open the batting started explosively and stuttered a touch post-Christmas before backing up a semi-final 44 with a grand final 55 not out. Finished with a competition-high 554 runs at 46.
Quote: “I bat the way a team bowls to me. If a team bowls loose I’ll have a crack but they bowled well, there were only a handful of poor balls. The way they bowled and fielded didn’t make it easy. Last week (in the semi against Cranbourne) I made the conscious decision to go, knowing our pitch comes off well after tea and knowing there was 30 overs. When it’s going our way, it’s my job to put the opposition on the back foot and if it comes off, usually it puts us in a pretty good position. I know being a bowler for my whole career, if the opposition come in and blast the opening bowlers off, you’re on the back foot all day trying to rein them back in so if I can set the team up, then I’m happy.”
VENUK HEMACHANDRA
His season: After playing some early season games in his first season at the club, Hemachandra went on holidays to Sri Lanka, where he trained once per week, returning for the semi-final where he passed 50. He played a crucial 31 in the big dance, getting creative against strike-spinner Nick Jeffrey.
Quote: “The boys really backed me up and told me I had the skills and had what it takes to do the job so I was pretty confident. Since (Nuwan and Malinga) are Sri Lankan as well it helps and they come up to me and tell me where I go wrong and help my game. I would say they have helped a lot because I am still 20 and I have learned a lot from the legends, so a lot of credit has to go to Kula and Mali and the team who has backed me up as well.”
ANTHONY BRANNAN
His season: A rock in the middle-order, he played the anchor several times throughout the season with the skipper’s reliability and experience in an at-times misfiring batting order crucial.
Quote: “It’s one of the better games I’ve played in. I turned up to the club when I was 18-19. (Greg Siwes) was captain (Pete Lindsay) was coach and they put so much faith in me after returning to the club after a couple of years away. The support and guidance they give is so important. This club is my home, I’ve never played senior cricket anywhere else, I never will, and it is because of people like (Greg). Going into Turf 1 means more to (people off-field) than to us to a certain extent because it means their club is successful.”
RILEY SIWES
His season: The vice-captain returned to Dandy West this season after getting exposure at Turf 1 club Berwick and relished the extra batting responsibility in the middle-order and opportunity to learn off and play alongside Malinga Bandara.
Quote: “That was bloody unreal. One of the best feelings I’ve felt. All year we’ve been trying to get here. I moved clubs to get one thing done and one thing only so I’m absolutely rapt for the boys and can’t wait for the future.”
BAILEY HOWARTH
Season: Had struggled for runs in the middle-order until the grand final, where he absorbed pressure before making 33 free-flowing runs.
Quote: “I want to be a middle order aggressive player so I stuck to my gut and went for it. I’ve got nothing but love for Branno (Anthony Brannan), he’s backed me in every week. I haven’t made many runs but he still backs me no matter what so it gives me confidence knowing he wants me there.”
NUWAN KULASEKARA
His season: Didn’t take wickets for fun like in Turf 3, but if he wasn’t getting the scalps he was drying up scoring and forcing them to look to score at the other end. In his second season at the club, he has again been widely lauded for his coaching.
Quote: “I’m enjoying my cricket still so we have a good bunch of players and people at the club. That’s what I’m enjoying a lot. We had good year last year and did the same this year. The good thing is the young players are good listeners so they are allowed to learn. Based on that, I can work on anything with them. We have a good bunch of young people improving day by day. I am happy with the way they played especially in a pressure game. It was fantastic, so as a cricketer you have to learn and play according to the situation and conditions.”
MALINGA BANDARA
His season: Wow. Back-to-back five wicket hauls in the finals followed a season where he took 38 wickets at 13 and with a miserly economy not usually associated with leggies. Was also crucial in mentoring fellow leggies Riley Siwes and Shaun Weir, and Bailey Howarth’s batting.
Quote: “I feel like in the earlier rounds I bowled well…and in the last four weeks I came to the good rhythm and took three five-fas. In the beginning of the season I talked with (Riley) because he sometimes wasn’t sure how to trap the batsman, how to set a field, how to take wickets. He has a good action and is a good talent but we had a good chat during the season and in the last few weeks he has found his rhythm.”
MATT COLLETT
His season: Returning to his home club after playing some cricket at Cranbourne, the wicket-keeper has 28 dismissals including a competition-high eight stumpings en route to his maiden senior premiership
Quote: “It was an easy decision for me to come back. I was always going to end up here, it was just a matter of when. ‘Branno’ was the best man at my wedding so unfortunately for other clubs, if he needs me, it will happen. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had playing cricket. As much as it’s my first premiership, I still feel like it’s almost better for people around the club who get cash and sponsorship in.”
ADAM REID
His season: Developed immensely under the tutelage of Nuwan Kulasekara this season, culminating in a team of the year selection with 34 wickets at 17 including three five-wicket hauls in his third season playing turf cricket.
Quote: “Going back to two-day cricket has helped a lot because I can tie down a batter and not worry about being hit. I love coming on first change, because I’m better bowling with the older than the new ball. Knowing if one or both of us keep it tight, wickets will come eventually, which showed yesterday when we didn’t bowl many bad balls at all so I couldn’t be happier.”
PETER ATKINSON
His season: The experienced fast bowler who opens for Dandy West alongside Kulasekara represented Australia in the over-40s competition earlier this month in South Africa, arriving back on Monday at 7.30am. Battled jetlag for the rest of the week but trained mid-week and bowled sharply into the wind upfront, his national experience hardening him for the hot and fatiguing day.
Quote: “Over there you’re stiff all the time and starting a new day but I feel like it toughened me up to play yesterday, I felt really good. Over there you’re sore bowling and going into the game, but you realise you can be sore and still do it. I knew the body would be fine, the week rest helped though. Bowling with ‘Kula’ is awesome; you know he’ll be tight. They won’t go for him so they will go for you and if you bowl the right areas, pressure will create a wicket.”
