By Jonty Ralphsmith
Newly promoted Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 2 club Dandenong West has sent an ominous warning to the competition with a commanding victory over Parkmore.
Facing a side that has Turf 1 experience as recently as last season, Dandenong West won the toss which allowed its talented and disciplined bowling lineup to get to work.
Nuwan Kulasekara claimed two wickets in his opening spell, with his ability to swing it both ways crucially undoing new recruit Kyle Gwynne.
The Pirates lineup was weakened by expected absences and sent in to bat on a green top, with Kulasekara’s change-ups and searing accuracy well complemented by Noman Khan.
After the early onslaught, Parkmore momentarily stabilised, but was unable to navigate Adam Reid, whose six wickets ripped through the middle order.
He used the overcast sky and seam conditions on the up-and-down pitch to consistently breakthrough, with his ability to channel in on fourth stump sublime during a 10.3 over spell of 6/31.
Chasing 122 for victory, veteran Shaun Weir pounced on anything loose, promoted to the top of the order in the absence of Dylan Diacono.
Weir hit 10 boundaries including four sixes during a confidence-boosting 67, Abbas Rashid providing the perfect foil with 23.
The Bulls ultimately won by six wickets, going at almost seven runs per over during their innings.
Meanwhile, Harsaroup Singh helped Cranbourne to a first-up victory against Narre Warren.
In a rain-shortened 25-over per side affair, Singh bowled eight straight overs after being introduced to the attack, playing the role that now departed tweaker Pete Sweeney performed last season.
He got openers Ben Swift and Luke Clarke in quick succession to ground the visitors’ innings at Casey Fields after each got starts, with Narre ultimately kept to 3/115.
The Eagles opened with Anthony Galley and Cam Kelly, with Clarke claiming Galley after a pair of boundaries.
Justin Dickinson came in at three and stabilised with Kelly, the pair both showing a little bit, but neither able to anchor the innings as three quick wickets fell to put the game in the balance.
Singh’s coolness and Sajana De Silva’s power guided Cranbourne home, the pair finishing unbeaten on 24 and 26 respectively.
At KM Reedy Reserve, hosts Heinz Southern Districts (HSD) survived a big scare from Keysborough in a low-scoring nail-biter.
The game looked to be going to script when Keysborough was bowled out for 92, but HSD fell to 8/60, unable to establish a partnership of substance until lower-order bats Liam Jansen and Jordan Margenberg came together.
The pair combined for 33 off 46 balls, backing their shot selection and running between the wickets as the top order failed to fire.
Jansen was thrown into a similar predicament in the semi-final last year against Cranbourne when the Cobras fell just short but he looked well in control this time around.
He ensured HSD stayed ahead of the required rate and took it deep, finishing unbeaten on 26 off 36.
Highly-regarded coup Makenzie Gardner made a well-constructed 21 and looked comfortable, sticking to a clear plan until being undone on a difficult wicket by Hennadige Fernando.
Skipper Christo Otto was the pick of the bowlers with 2/22 off nine overs, while Daniel Banhidi and Fernando both also claimed two wickets.
Earlier, Knights openers Jonathan Mohamed (13 off 30) and Mehakdeep Singh (18 off 29) absorbed early pressure, but both were dismissed in quick succession, exposing a brittle middle order.
Outside of Tobey Harkin, the visitors showed little resistance against a well-rounded attack, with pace bowler Triyan De Silva and Ryan Patterson both threatening, alongside Jansen, who claimed 3/19.
Omair Rana also played a key role in his four-over spell, navigating the tricky conditions to claim the wickets of Otto and new Knights recruit Shanaka Perumpuli.
