By Tyler Lewis
As far as wins go this season, Dandenong coach Warren Ayres believes Saturday’s triumph over the finals bound Northcote was his side’s equal best for the year.
The Panthers were in some early trouble at 2/30, before brothers Brett (84) and Cam Forsyth (67) combined for a match-defining 141-run stand.
The partnership was crucial in the Dandenong outfit setting the Dragons 4/198 at Bill Lawry Oval.
In reply, the Dragons were coasting without a casualty at 0/82.
At a cross-roads, the Dandenong side delivered off the back of its youngsters with the ball.
As he has all summer long, Matt Wilson (3/49 off 10) broke the drought for his team, before the young Panthers put the strangle hold on.
Braeden Taueber (3/37 off 10), Josh Sawrey (1/24 off 10) and Gehan Seneviratne (2/39 off 10) all put the clamps on in the middle overs to set the game up.
Jakeb Thomas finished the job in the final over, defending the minimal runs required to keep the Dragons at bay to win by two runs.
Coach Ayres was rapt with his side’s performance.
“Any win is a good win,” Ayres explained.
“That was a good win because we have been in games in the last few weeks and missed an opportunity, or the rub of the green hasn’t gone our way, and we have lost our focus a little bit.
“At least this game we knew at the 34-over mark it was going to go to the wire and we stood up. A few of the younger guys did a few really good things and we were able to hold them off which was terrific.
“I think it was our equal best win with the one at University in my mind,” Ayres said.
While the batting was classy and the bowling was flawless in the death overs, Ayres was most pleased with the energy his youngsters brought to the field.
“The most pleasing aspect in my view was the way we went about our fielding,” he said.
“We had a couple of guys in, playing their first and second game, and that really lifted our fielding and I think the chat and the hunger to have a win was good.
“They were there to compete, they competed hard and they were good enough to get the win, against good opposition too which pleased me a lot,” he said.
The Panthers are currently 15th on the ladder, but a win this week against Fitzroy Doncaster could see the Dandenong side make some valuable ground late in the season.
