Dandenong opening batsman Matthew Chasemore launches a big shot in his 45-run knock for the Panthers in Tuesday’s Twenty20 match.Paul Boraston’s stumps were rearranged by Casey bowler Roger Sillence on the first ball he faced. He was one of five golden ducks in the Dandenong innings on Tuesday night.A large crowd watched the Twenty20 action at Arch Brown Reserve. By Glen Atwell
PREMIER cricket arrived in Casey on Tuesday night as a crowd of 700 people packed Berwick’s Arch Brown Reserve to watch an entertaining Twenty20 match between Dandenong and Casey-South Melbourne.
The match did not disappoint, as Casey-South Melbourne marched to victory by four wickets. Batting first, the Dandenong Panthers were in trouble at 2/10, but sensational knocks to Matthew Chasemore (45 runs off 40 balls) and Tom Donnell (41 off 35) returned some stability.
But this was soon overshadowed by the collapse of the remaining Dandenong batters.
With seven players dismissed for less than 10 – including five golden ducks – Dandenong supporters stopped cheering and started quacking as the side waddled to be all out for 129.
Casey bowler Roger Sillence was the thorn in the Panthers’ side, taking 5/21 from his four overs.
Swapping the bat for the ball, Casey was just as impressive, reaching 28 runs before losing Jolyon Leaver to a Paul Boraston (3/33) yorker.
But it was the partnership of Steven Spoljaric (40 off 33) and David Newman (27 off 24) that secured Casey victory.
Casey reached the target with an over to spare, ending the match at 6/130.
The run-fest marked the arrival of the Casey team, to be based at Cranbourne’s Casey Fields next year, into the municipality and locals gave the event a big thumbs up.
Organiser Don Moyes said the event was staged without a hiccough.
“There was plenty of people, all well behaved, little rubbish left at the ground and, thankfully, no balls breaking windscreens,” Moyes said.
In other Premier League news, the Panthers will have to climb the highest of mountains to secure six much-needed points in the Victorian Premier Cricket match against St Kilda on Saturday.
On a flat Central Reserve wicket at Waverley last week, the Saints amassed 8/340, by Shawn Craig’s 132 runs – the 10th century of his Premier career. Paul Boraston took the wickets for the Panthers with 4/94 from 28 overs.
After his commanding century a fortnight ago, Warren Ayres will be the focus of the Dandenong batting attack.
Young gun Kumar Sana, ready to impose himself on the Premier League, will also be called upon to post a big innings.
Saturday’s run chase could make or break the Panthers’ season. In equal third place on the ladder, a win would put the side in a strong position to make the finals, but a loss would put the side back to the middle of the table.
