VICTORIAN PREMIER CRICKET
DANDENONG (4/253) demonstrated its true batting potential with a heroic chase down of Carlton (5/252cc).
The Panthers struggled to make inroads into the Carlton batting order, as Nathan Lambden (2/63) did the best of the bowlers.
It left Dandenong with a steep 250 run chase at Princes Park, but the conditions suited the Panthers to a tee as they started with a bang.
Tom Donnell (45) and Brett Forsyth (19) started the hitting display before Peter Sweeney (22) and new recruit David Alleyne (81 not out) started the next wake. Alleyne’s run-a-ball 81 anchored the innings alongside Cameron Forsyth (32) and Victorian/Australian representative James Pattinson (37 not out) as the Panthers chased down the runs with an over to spare.
Dandenong’s next challenge waits at home as Camberwell Magpies visit Shepley Oval on Saturday from 11am.
VICTORIAN SUB-DICTRICT CRICKET ASSOCIATION
SOUTH/EAST 1ST XI
THE reigning premiers Noble Park (188) could not be split from Malvern (188) after the opening round of Sub-District cricket.
The Bulls charged through the Malvern middle order following a strong second-wicket stand from James Lynch and Michael Jones (68). Ash Perera (3/45) kept things tidy from one end while Mevan Fernando (3/14) and Marasinghe Perera (2/45) started chipping away in tandem with the former Premier Cricket dynamo. The last Rooster resistance came from Leigh Alford (42) and from there the visitors collapsed properly – spurred on by Fernando getting on a hat-trick – before the scores levelled with the last wicket to be claimed. Fielders crowded the bat as Perera bowled what would be the final over, trapping the captain Simon Conway (0) in front to leave the match at a tie.
Noble Park faces Endeavour Hills in a two-day local showdown starting this Saturday at Sydney Pargeter Reserve.
