By JARROD POTTER
PREMIER CRICKET
A DIABOLICAL start to the year wasn’t the season opener Dandenong (147) would have wanted following a lacklustre batting effort against Essendon (3/148)
The only thing Dandenong excelled at all day was the coin toss, electing to bat first on a flat track made for scoring at Shepley Oval. The initial partnership of Tom Donnell (7) and Brett Forsyth (24) earned slow but steady runs before the first collapse happened. Donnell, Forsyth, Peter Sweeney (5) all succumbed rapidly to leave the Panthers 3/42.
The middle order was left to carry on and produce a defendable total as new recruit David Alleyne (19), Cameron Forsyth (22) and James Pattinson (16) all got their eye in but couldn’t carry on with the task.
One Pattinson replaced another as Darren departed to Doveton in the DDCA, making a swashbuckling 125 on debut, while the return of James to the side was a significant boost to their batting stocks.
James Nanopoulos (32 and 0/37) showed why he’s one of the better all-rounders in the competition as he created the stability needed from lower down the order. Coming in at seven, Nanopoulos batted with the tail to push the Panthers to 147 with five balls remaining in their innings.
Wickets would come sporadically for Dandenong, but not enough to put the kibosh on Essendon. The visitors cantered to the target in the 21st over as A. Shellie (67) and captain Aaron Ayre (67 not out) flayed the bat at anything the Panthers could muster. Best of the bowlers was Justin Butterfield (1/27) while Tom Donnell’s (1/7) part-time spin accrued a wicket.
Dandenong will head to Carlton for a one-dayer on Saturday.
