Dandy digs deep

By Paul Pickering
Bulldogs skipper Nathan Geisler asked the Panthers to bat on a notoriously difficult deck, and his bowlers capitalised by claiming the prized scalps of Brett Forsyth, Tom Donnell and Darren Dempsey with the new ball.
Southpaw pairing Matt Chasemore (36) and Dave Newman (29) steadied the ship with a patient 55-run stand, before Bulldog off-spinner Carl Sandri (5/34) made Chasemore his first of five victims for the afternoon.
Newman edged a Grant Lindsay (3/42) delivery soon after, and when Sandri pouched a return catch from James Nanopoulos the Panthers were six down and reeling.
Aspiring all-rounder James Pattinson (30), who has been selected in the 14-man Bushranger squad for the Sheffield Shield clash against Western Australia beginning on Friday, joined gloveman Ricky Damiano (38) at the crease and the pair set about ushering the visitors towards a competitive total.
Pattinson (four fours) and Damiano (three) defied a slow and sandy outfield to register eight of Dandenong’s 15 boundaries for the innings.
They departed in quick succession though, leaving capable tail-enders Brent Fairbanks (17) and Peter Sweeney (14) to advance the score towards 200.
The Panthers fell one run short of that mark, but 199 will take a lot of getting if the 17-over twilight session the Bulldogs faced on Saturday is any indication.
Pattinson (2/8) and Paul Boraston (0/5) were almost unplayable in their opening spells, conceding just 11 runs in 13 overs.
Footscray-Edgewater opener Matthew Love scratched together three runs from 33 balls before Pattinson ended his misery by trapping him in front.
Stuart Brohaska found Pattinson just as difficult to keep out and heard the death rattle before he could trouble the scorers.
Newman (1/1) condemned Greg Sheehan to the same fate within minutes and the Doggies walked off at 3/13.
Panthers coach Warren Ayres said he and skipper Dempsey expected their 199 to be the equivalent of about 280 at Shepley Oval.
“We’re pretty confident that it’s a reasonable total and extremely happy that the late middle-order was able to put together some good partnerships,” Ayres said.
“It’s going to be a slog for the batsmen, so if we can bowl well in the first hour (this Saturday) and get a couple of wickets we’ll be in good shape.”