Panthers push ahead

By Justin Robertson
WITH the departure of four outstanding cricketers from the Dandenong Panthers this season it’s quite easy to suggest they will struggle to make a Premier League Cricket finals appearance.
Warren Ayres, who will head to Springvale South after 28 years at the club, Brett Forsyth (Prahran), wicketkeeper Rory Collins (Essendon), and young quick Jackson Coleman (Melbourne) will all leave gaping holes with bat and ball.
On the surface it might seem the Panthers are headed for a year of transition but newly appointed and highly credentialed head coach, Englishman Steve Chapman, will add coaching depth and a calm head at the helm. In 2007 Chapman was on the coaching panel at Durham County and runs his own coaching business.
“From what I’m led to believe they are four good players. I’ve never had them to miss them so from my point of view they are just names, I won’t miss their runs or wickets as it were,” he said.
“They need to be replaced of course. But I’m not worried about what’s gone on previously, I’m more worried about what that’s left us with. We are looking pretty good though.”
It’ll be a fresh start for the Panthers as the newcomers will be expected to blend in with some of the seasoned professionals.
Arguably their most valued recruit, 21-year-old Englishman Alex Hale,will boost their batting stocks. Hale was picked up from Nottingham and played alongside international stars including David Hussey, Graeme Swan and Stuart Broad.
Chapman is hoping he can have a positive influence on the group and play with the flair and enthusiasm he is known for at the top of the order.
Reliable captain Darren Dempsey will spearhead the batting attack and the Panthers will be looking for him to continue on from last season which saw him plunder 451 runs at an average of 41.53.
Two recent pick-ups have come in the form of batting all-rounder Marcus Glenister from Prahran and wicketkeeper Ben Hocking (Mt Waverly), who will add stability and strength in the middle to lower order of the batting line-up.
Chapman said this season watch for the professional players to play bigger roles in the bowling attack.
Left-hand bowler Tom Donnell is also expected to have a big year and make amends after struggling last season. All-rounder James Nanopoulos will add variety and consistency with his stingy medium pacers.
The Panthers will also be looking to him for another 356-run season with the bat as he did last year.
Left-arm paceman Justin Butterfield only played a few games last year, but Chapman said expect him to feature more prominently this season and add some bite to the bowling.
Chapman said he’ll be looking for tear-away quick, youngster James Wilcock, to rise this year as a senior player rather than play as an aspiring junior.
Last season the Panthers were hampered by a swinging door of Cricket Victoria representatives causing instability within the squad, but Chapman said even with James and Darren Pattinson and Peter Siddle potentially not available, he rates the squad highly and expects big things this season.
“We are dead-set on making the eight. It’s a goal for us, no question about that,” he said. “Maybe if we hadn’t secured the English lad Hale, maybe we’d reassess that, but I feel we have a pretty strong side, even with four or five representative players.”