Above: Panther Tom Donnell skies a shot during Dandenong’s win over Frankston Peninsula.
By Paul Pickering
PREMIER Cricket clubs be warned: The Dandenong Panthers are poised to pounce in 2008.
Despite sitting in ninth spot on the ladder, Dandenong has laid the foundation for a New Year assault on the competition with three consecutive wins over the past month.
On Sunday, a drastically undermanned Panthers side easily accounted for Frankston Peninsula in a rain-shortened match at Shepley Oval.
The cellar-dwelling Heat proved to be no match for the Panthers, who posted a healthy total of 4/252 from their 50 overs before dismissing Frankston Peninsula for 184.
With precocious opening batsmen Kumar Sarna and Brett Forsyth representing Victoria in the national under-19 championships in Tasmania, left-handers Tom Donnell (39) and Matt Chasemore (30) assumed the lead-off duties for the Panthers.
After a cautious start that reaped just 22 runs from the first 10 overs, Donnell broke the shackles by dispatching Heat paceman Joel Wylie over backward square leg with a swivelling pull shot.
While a spooned attempt at the same shot brought about Donnell’s dismissal just as the lefty combination was reaching full flight, the launching pad was well and truly in place.
All-rounder Dave Newman (94 not out) – another southpaw – then arrived to stamp his authority on the match, guiding the Panthers past 250 with the middle-order assistance of Warren Ayres (40) and Adam Bull (28).
Having watched much of Newman’s unbeaten knock from the other end of the pitch, playing coach Ayres was singing the praises of his classy all-rounder after the match.
“His innings was terrific,” Ayres said.
“He came in after we’d got off to a good start, but he played his best innings for the year – not only his best score, but in terms of being able to play his shots and hit them out of the middle.”
And while Chasemore led the Panthers’ bowling attack with figures of 4/39, it was Brent Fairbanks (2/14) who secured the most vital scalps.
“I thought the stand-out bowler for us was Fairbanks,” Ayres said after noting Chasemore’s contribution.
“He got their two best players (James Miller and Luke Walker) out and really put them on the back foot early.”
Aside from a 59-run third-wicket partnership from Ben Clements (51) and Michael McLean (41), the Heat struggled to stem the flow of wickets, falling 68 runs short of the target in the 48th over.
Another six-point result sees Dandenong move within two points of the top eight.
And with Sarna, Forsyth, and Darren Pattinson all set to return for the Panthers’ country round clash with Carlton in Ballarat on 5 January, a successful title defence is looking more attainable by the week.
“Hopefully the Panthers can come home strong in the second half of the season,” Ayres said.
“I’m predicting we will.”
