Panthers paceman Justin Butterfield launches himself into a delivery at Shepley Oval on Saturday. 38865 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Paul Pickering
DANDENONG completed a stunning resurrection in its two-day clash with Northcote by dismissing the Dragons for 139 at Shepley Oval on Saturday.
The Panthers, who looked down and out at six-for-not-many at lunch on day one, were never threatened on Saturday as they cruised to a 179-run win.
That was followed by a tense five-run victory over Carlton in the opening round of the Twenty20 competition on Sunday, marking a successful weekend for the boys from Pultney Street.
On Saturday, burly all-rounder Brent Fairbanks capped a brilliant match by claiming 3/34, after his 216-run eighth-wicket partnership with Rory Collins the previous weekend.
He and Paul Boraston (4/41) were the strike bowlers in the absence of in-form Bushranger Darren Pattinson – and his injured brother James – as the home side took 7/31 to bring the Dragons’ innings to an abrupt end.
The result saw Dandenong improve to fifth on the ladder, just one point shy of the top four.
Reigning premier Ringwood and perennial powerhouse Melbourne fill the top two spots, and they will be Dandenong’s opponents over the next two rounds.
So, as skipper Darren Dempsey notes, the weekend’s win was crucial.
“It was really important for us, from a two-day point of view, to get six points and solidify our spot in the top eight, because we’ve got a really tough couple of weeks ahead,” Dempsey said.
“One of the most pleasing aspects of this weekend was that we were without our spearheads (the Pattinsons) and the other guys really stepped up.”
Left-armer Justin Butterfield came in for his first game of the season, conceding just 24 runs from his dozen overs.
There was little respite for the Northcote batsman, with Dempsey (2/10), James Wilcock (1/21) and James Nanopoulos (0/5 from seven overs) all proving difficult to dispatch.
Opener Ben Peake (62) was the only Dragon to pass 25.
On Sunday, it was another impressive outing for the Panthers’ bowlers, restricting a potent Carlton line-up to just 8/127 from its 20 overs.
The Blues, coming off a two-day win over Melbourne, were left needing 12 runs off the last over, but their tail was no match for the astute death-bowling of Boraston (2/17).
The previous over was equally important for Dandenong, with Nanopoulos taking two wickets, including an in-form Tim Welsford (33 from 22 balls).
Panthers opener Brett Forsyth set the game up with an impressive run-a-ball 50, while Dempsey (27 from 33) and Nick Thomas (13 from 16) played important cameos.
Dempsey, who was the man-of-the-series in Dandenong’s run to the Twenty20 grand final last year, said his charges are genuine contenders in the shortened form of the game.
“We take it pretty seriously now,” he said on Monday.
“There’s silverware and prize-money on offer for the club and we want to try to go one better than we did last year. Yesterday was good start.”
Their next challenge will be Melbourne at Shepley Oval next Wednesday afternoon.
