By JARROD POTTER
VICTORIAN PREMIER CRICKET – MEN’S PREMIER 4TH XI
GRAND FINAL REVIEW
DANDENONG’S fourth XI brought the premiership back to Shepley Oval in a sensational show of depth that proved too powerful for Carlton.
The future of Dandenong (3/179) cricket shone last weekend as the young Panthers emphatically brushed aside Carlton (87) at Casey Fields in the fourth XI finale.
Dandy’s fourth line-up had a full contingent to pick from this year as schoolboys filled the coffers with premium players all the way through the four sides.
Luke McMaster (3/15) was sensational early on Saturday to skittle Carlton’s top order, while Jye Driscoll (3/12) and Niresh Drukeshkumar (2/26) picked up scalps with the new ball too.
With 26 overs left on the first day, Austin Heldt (55) and Andrey Fernando (38) batted exceptionally to guide the Panthers across the line with a few overs left in the day, but their fall left a slight glimmer of hope for Carlton which insisted on going to the second day.
It was to no avail, though, when the Panthers’ middle-order men Dane Heverin (41) and Josh Allen (24no) batted Carlton out of the match leaving the Dandy boys to celebrate the flag.
“We were pretty lucky with the kind of guys we could get on the park – had a couple of guys who came from school cricket this year,” Dandenong fourths skipper Jordan Mackenzie said.
“We had four seamers who were too good for fourth XI cricket, to be honest, and that showed on the weekend.
“Batting wise, a similar story. We had 12 players between 15 and 23 and probably all 12 are far better than fourth XI cricket, so it’s a good position for the club to be in.”
Mackenzie praised the side’s all-round efforts, especially the first up spell from McMaster – first XI bowler Adam McMaster’s younger brother – and the work of Driscoll, Heldt and Fernando.
“Heldt and Fernando are 16 and 17 years old – they’re bursting with talent and are products of Owen Mottau – our batting coach – so he’s pretty proud of them,” Mackenzie said.
“You can tell with the way they bat that they’re pretty tidy players.”
It put a great footnote on Dandenong’s up and down season across the grades and especially leaves plenty in the tank for the side’s 2016/17 Victorian Premier Cricket campaign.
“It’s exciting that we could get the job done and show guys at the club – especially with a new coach coming in,” Mackenzie said.
“That we’ve got these guys who can step up on the big stage and also have a truckload of talent.”
DANDENONG 4TH XI PREMIERS: Jordan Mackenzie (capt), Austin Heldt, Andrey Fernando, Dane Heverin, Josh Allen, Zachary Harrison, Jordan Wilkinson, Jye Driscoll, Niresh Drukeshkumar, Luke McMaster, Darcy Merlo, Archit Vora, Luke Gandy.
