By Marcus Uhe
A stunning fightback with the ball from Dandenong produced a rare tie in Premier Cricket on Saturday at Shepley Oval.
With Camberwell at 7-309, needing just five runs to win from the remaining three overs, the Panthers took the last three wickets while conceding just four runs, with Brett Allison dismissing the last batter with the final ball of the day.
Dandenong took wickets in groups during the innings but a 171-run stand for the third wicket between Magpies pair Benjamin Rowles and Liam Fitzpatrick had the possibility of snatching any points looking more and more distant.
Allison’s removal of Rowles on 89, his third, opened the door slightly, and Matthew Wilson’s dismissal of William Townsend not long after forced it open even further.
When Wilson and Joshua Sawrey combined for wickets in back-to-back overs in the 75th and 76th overs, suddenly the Magpies had fallen to 6/258.
Fitzpatrick, however, shaped as the key wicket.
As batters came and went at the other end, he remained until the second last over, when he was caught on the boundary for 154 off the bowling of Braden Taeuber, leaving the last two batters needing three from the final seven deliveries.
A single off the second ball of the last over meant the Magpies needed two to win.
A rushed leg-bye off the second-last ball tied the scores on 313.
A wild swish outside off produced a nick through to Sam Newell’s gloves, and with that, the game was tied, sparking initial celebrations from the Panthers before the realisation set in that points would be shared.
The scenes at Casey Fields, however, were not as remarkable, as the Swans’ final chances were dealt a major blow.
Defending 245, they could only manage four Footscray wickets who completed the chase in the 65th over.
Nathan Lambden was excellent up top for Casey, giving Dean Russ a frightening welcome to the crease with an over of plays-and-misses – and a hit to the groin – but their inability to take wickets throughout the day proved their downfall.
A 166-run partnership for the fourth wicket did the majority of the damage, leaving the Swans on the outside of the top eight looking in with one fixture remaining.
The Swans head down the highway to face Geelong in their final fixture of the year next week, while Dandenong will tackle Fitzroy-Doncaster.
