By ROY WARD
DOVETON-raised fast bowler Darren Pattinson was famously plucked from obscurity to play Test cricket for England but when it came to taking on the Dandenong Panthers captaincy, he took a much more conventional route.
The 33 year old was simply asked by Panthers officials to replace outgoing premiership captain Darren Dempsey, who moved to New Zealand at the end of last season.
“They spoke to me as soon as they knew he wasn’t coming back,” Pattinson said. “They asked my thoughts on whether I’d do it; I jumped at the chance. I always wanted to take on the captaincy one day.
“I’ve been brought up in the Dandenong area and played in the DDCA for Doveton as well. So it’s pretty exciting to become Dandenong captain.”
Pattinson also remains a member of the Victorian Bushrangers squad and as such may not play in every game as Dempsey was able to do. But the Panthers have appointed a highly capable deputy in opening batsman Tom Donnell.
Pattinson acknowledged he would miss some weeks, especially when the Big Bash begins at Christmas time. He will play with the Melbourne Renegades.
When Pattinson talked to the Weekly last week, he was in the process of leaving with the Bushrangers for their Sheffield Shield match in Perth.
“You never know how much you will play for Victoria,” he said. “Some seasons I think I will never play much, then play more games. I will miss some matches around Christmas when I’m with the Renegades.”
But Pattinson had no doubt Donnell would lead with distinction in his place. “Tom has been around quite a while now, I reckon he has been here for eight seasons,” he said. “You wouldn’t have thought that but he has a lot of experience.”
Pattinson said the club was in its strongest ever position leading into this season.
He has challenged every Panthers side to push for the finals. “The club is as strong as it’s ever been through all the grades,” he said. “We are looking on the lower grades to make the finals. There are a lot of young guys who have been at the club a couple of years now and should be ready to stand up.”
The only dampener for the first XI is the loss of star opening batsman Brett Forsyth to a knee injury which could leave him sidelined until Christmas. Pattinson said veteran all-rounder Daniel Doran, who returned to Melbourne from Queensland during the off-season would open the batting in the opening rounds alongside Donnell.
Doran, a former Queensland Sheffield Shield player, also shapes as a dangerous bowling option for the Panthers with his leg spinners.
“Doran looked pretty good in our practice game when he made 45 as an opener,” Pattinson said. “He has done that a bit in one-day games and Twenty20 matches in Queensland. We have some younger guys coming into the middle order. I’d like to see Peter and Mick Sweeney both have good seasons, and Dylan Quirk if he gets his chance.”
The Panthers have also secured Pattinson’s teammate at English county Nottingham, Steven Mullaney, an all-rounder who will bat at No. 4 and also threaten with his medium-pace bowling.
After a whirlwind year in which his brother James become a Test star for Australia, Darren Pattinson hopes to also make his mark this season. “I didn’t get to play much more than one-day stuff in England so I’m looking forward to improving my fitness and putting my hand up for Victoria and Dandenong this summer.”
DANDENONG PREMIER CRICKET FIXTURE 2012-2013
October 13 Dandenong v Essendon, Shepley Oval 11am
October 20 Prahran v Dandenong, Toorak Park 11am
October 21 Dandenong v Frankston Peninsula, Shepley Oval 11am
October 27, November 3 North Melbourne v Dandenong, Junction Oval 12pm
November 10, November 17 Dandenong v Carlton, Shepley Oval 12pm
November 24 (T20) Casey-South Melbourne v Dandenong, Morwell Reserve 10am
November 24 (T20) Dandenong v Fitzroy-Doncaster, Morwell Reserve 4.30pm
December 1 (T20) Dandenong v Hawthorn-Mon Uni, Shepley Oval 2.30pm
December 2 (T20) Melbourne v Dandenong, Albert Ground 2.30pm
December 5 Melbourne Uni v Dandenong, University Main Oval 5.15pm
December 8, December 15 Dandenong v Northcote, Shepley Oval 12pm
December 12 (T20) Dandenong v Footscray Edgewater, Shepley Oval 5.15pm
December 16 T20 final
December 22 Camberwell Magpies v Dandenong, Camberwell Sports Ground 11am
January 12 Dandenong v St Kilda, Shepley Oval 11am
January 19, January 26 Geelong v Dandenong, Geelong Ground 12pm
January 27 one day final
February 2, February Dandenong v Ringwood, Shepley Oval 12pm
February 16, February 23 Fitzroy-Doncaster v Dandenong, Schramms Reserve 12pm
March 2, March 9 Dandenong v Richmond, Shepley Oval 12pm
March 16, March 17 quarter-finals
March 23, March 24 semi-finals
March 30, March 31, April 1 grand final
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