By DAVID NAGEL
PREMIER CRICKET – Round 5 (One day)
A DEEP breath of fresh country air has not stopped the slide of Dandenong (8/168), the Panthers crashing to their third straight defeat, proving no match for Melbourne (5/169) at Peter Siddle Oval in Maryvale on Saturday.
Sent in by the Premier Cricket powerhouse, the Panthers had no answer to the question being asked by Chris Tremain (4/31), who dominated the early exchanges to leave Tom Donnell’s boys in all sorts of trouble at 5/49.
David Alleyne (76 not out) then set a platform, built on by James Nanopoulos (29), to see the Panthers to a competitive total. Alleyne and Nanopoulos combined for a 70-run sixth wicket stand – the highlight of the innings.
The Panthers’ attack was then punished, flayed to all parts of Maryvale Reserve by opener Matthew Brown, who smacked 92 not out from just 108 balls.
Brown shared match-winning stands of 65 with fellow opener Andrew Kent (24), and a 70-run, fourth-wicket union with Brenton McDonald (40), to guide his side to victory.
Matt Willcocks (3/31) was the pick of the Panthers’ attack. Dandenong host Frankston Peninsula this Saturday on day one of the first two-day game for the season. The match starts at 11am.
WOMEN’S PREMIER CRICKET
DANDENONG Lions (150) battled its heart out on Saturday, falling just short of inflicting ladder-leader Box Hill (161) with its first loss of the season at Greaves Reserve.
Skipper Erica Kershaw called correctly and sent Box Hill in to bat, the Lions battling bravely against Cassandra Brock (50) and Rebecca Carter (20), who led a disciplined batting performance. The Lions had some real stars of their own during the first session, Sophie Molineux (3/18), Alana King (3/31), Courtney Neale (2/23) and Emma Gallagher (2/28) all chiming in with multiple success stories.
The Lions didn’t start well in reply, but the class of Sarah Elliott (57) and Molineux (31) soon had them back on track.
Key wickets to Danielle Montague (3/34) and Julia Crockett-Grills (3/10) – who claimed Elliott – gave Box Hill the impetus to score an important victory.
The Lions, who are still travelling well in third position on the ladder, host Prahran at Greaves Reserve this Saturday. The first ball will be bowled at 11am.
