Paul Boraston starred with four wickets in Dandenong’s easy win over North Melbourne on Sunday. 16580By Paul Pickering
DANDENONG has vaulted into sixth spot on the Premier Cricket ladder after a crushing win over North Melbourne on Sunday.
It took the Panthers just 42 overs to account for their guests on a wet Shepley Oval wicket, dismissing the Roos for just 84 and cruising to victory with five wickets down.
Swing bowler Paul Boraston relished the damp conditions, taking 4/33 as the Panthers reduced another opponent to a sub-100 total, having skittled Melbourne Uni for 62 the previous weekend.
The result also handed Dandenong another bonus point, allowing it to draw within a single point of fourth spot.
The Panthers could have been in sole possession of fourth place, but they had to share the points with local rival Casey-South Melbourne after a washout on Saturday.
Coach Warren Ayres is delighted with how his side has bounced back after a first-up loss to St Kilda, but says the players are looking forward to a lengthier stint on the park at Geelong this Saturday.
“We’re going along beautifully at the moment,” he reflected.
“It would have been nice to have played the Saturday game and maybe had a win there, but we’ll come up against some stiffer opposition now and hopefully we can continue our form.”
Towering paceman Darren Pattinson certainly continued his form on Sunday, snaring 2/13 from his four overs, including the crucial first breakthrough.
Pattinson had Roos’ opener Martin Bushell caught behind without scoring, before Boraston piled on the pressure with some destructive full-pitched bowling.
Boraston claimed four wickets inside five overs to have the visitors reeling at 5/31 and, despite a short-lived revival from North skipper Clint Hillas and ’keeper Andrew Le Page, the Roos crumbled.
Pattinson returned to claim another wicket, while young tearaway James Wilcock struck twice in four overs to clean-up the tail.
Dandenong’s reply began shakily, with openers Brett Forsyth and Tom Donnell falling with the score on just one.
That brought in-form pair James Nanopoulos and Darren Dempsey to the crease, and they didn’t disappoint.
The pair succeeded where all other batsmen had failed, summing up the trying conditions to compile a patient 70-run stand.
They lost their wickets in quick succession, but the Roos bowlers were already resigned to their fate.
Ayres was buoyed by the performance from his bowlers, and thankful for the contributions of his number three and four batsmen.
“Nanopoulos was outstanding and has been all year, and the 27 Dempsey got in those conditions is probably worth a lot more than that,” he said.
“Those two have been our stand-out players with the bat so far, but I’d like to think that if they missed out, somebody else would step up.
“I’m sure the Forsyths, Donnells and Thomases (Rees and Nick) will come to the fore in the weeks to come.”
The Panthers will face a wounded but dangerous Geelong outfit at Kardinia Park on Saturday. The Cats have won just one of their four games.
