Dandy strikes hard

By JARROD POTTER
DANDENONG made its intentions clear in Premier Cricket this weekend with an eight-wicket thrashing of Essendon.
Forced to relocate the match to Windy Hill on account of the City of Greater Dandenong workers strike, the only strikes Dandenong would tolerate on Saturday were from their bowlers – Justin Butterfield (5/21) opened his campaign for 2012/13 with a bang, terrorising the Essendon top order as he rattled out Ben MacRae (4) and Shane McNamara (3) on the cheap.
Essendon was in major trouble at 4/15 and the damage would only continue through the Essendon middle order as Steve Mullaney (2/12) and Dan Doran (1/17) kept things tight while claiming wickets. R.Collins (28) and S.Reid (15) made sure there was something on the board for Essendon to defend, but when both were pulled from the crease by Mullaney, all their resistance had accrued was 104.
Darren Pattinson bowled eight overs in his first match as Dandenong captain, with figures of 0/20 while James Wilcock (1/15) claimed the other wicket for the Panthers.
In response the Panthers attacked, and attacked some more. Dan Doran, who is fast turning into the competition cannon, smashed 37 from 42 balls including five fours to go with Tom Donnell (29 not out) and Steve Mullaney (25 not out) that made sure the total wasn’t any struggle.
Dandenong sits in third on the Victorian Premier Cricket ladder and faces Prahran at Toorak Park on Saturday.