By Jonty Ralphsmith
Fountain Gate’s newfound depth in 2023-24 has helped it to a first-up victory against a competitive Silverton in Chanaka ‘Ted’ Sampath’s opening game as skipper.
Early wickets in the Gators’ run-chase – as Dylan Hayes’ pace and Kalapu Gamage’s chiselling accuracy wreaked havoc – put the Bakers in the box seat, the target of 156 setting up an enticing chase at the innings break.
Despite the consistent fall of wickets in the first 10 overs, the Gators’ fearless will to back their skillset was striking after it undertook the longest preseason of the Turf 3 clubs in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Openers John Mirranay and Vipula Pathirana couldn’t fire a shot in their first game in tandem, and Hasindu Waduge and Sampath were out shortly thereafter.
Last season, early strikes would have staved off the potential Fountain Gate challenge, but the club is now blessed with the luxury of having long-time shot-making brothers Mandeep and Davandeep Premi entering at seven and eight respectively.
After last season’s skipper Karun Singh looked to transfer the pressure back onto the bowlers following the lethal opening spell with an enterprising 47-ball 34, Mandeep’s experience shone through.
He was calculated against both spin and pace, and smart in finding ways to score when the opening bowlers were brought back into the attack.
Despite Fountain Gate falling to 6/90 soon after his arrival, Mandeep was willing to absorb the good balls with the run-rate well under control.
Davi and Jasdeep Singh each built small but important partnerships with him to guide Fountain Gate to a three-wicket victory with eight overs remaining in the only Turf 3 action of the round.
Earlier, first-year Silverton skipper Rob North combined with Rasdev Singh and Varinder Virk; glorious cover drives sprinkled within the lefty’s patient 45 off 90 deliveries.
He holed out to Mandeep Premi looking to clear the big square boundary off smart seamer Waduge, which exposed the lower-order.
Silverton’s lack of batting depth was exposed as it lost 5/15 after looking on track for at least 170 when Virk started to take it up to the bowlers in his well-made 36.
Sampath was the pick of the bowlers, sending down 11 overs, his figures of 4/33 indicative of the little pace and width he offered batters on a flat Springvale deck.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old seamer Nadim Nazif also played a role with the ball.
Although his seven overs through the middle of the innings didn’t pick up a wicket, he bowled a fearless stump-to-stump line to set-batters North and Virk and leaked just 19 runs on First XI debut.
Earlier on Saturday, he played junior cricket, and was excellent in the under-14 finals series last season, picking up five scalps to lead his team to victory in the big dance.
North noted his pinpoint accuracy post-innings, while his change-ups were also a feature, and the exposure he receives early in the season will prove important for a Gators attack that loses Mustaffa Waseem to overseas cricket after Christmas.
Despite the victory, Fountain Gate’s ground-fielding remains a growth area.
It’s a big result for a club with ambitions to finish in the top two, while Silverton’s efforts proved it will be competing hard for a top four spot in 2023-24.
Meanwhile, Doveton’s clash with Berwick Springs, Hampton Park’s match against Coomoora and Doveton North’s date with Lynbrook were all washed out.
It leaves those six clubs with no cricket under their belt in the first two rounds, with each team’s first official games to be two-dayers this Saturday-Sunday.
