By Jonty Ralphsmith
Heinz Southern Districts round 12 clash with Dandenong West looks set to determine which team will enter finals as the premiership favourites in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 2 competition.
Expectation is that this will be a contest dominated by ball, with all of the top five wicket-takers in the league in action.
Meanwhile, the batting of both has proven to be vulnerable and haphazard, the ability to dig deep in the return to the two-day game largely absent.
Both sides bat deep and have put pressure on lower order players to hold up an end and score runs, given the typical propensity to lose wickets in clumps.
For most of the season Dandenong West has been viewed as the clear pacesetter, while HSD has navigated the tightrope of close wins.
Given the difficulty of moving between divisions in the DDCA, it was scarcely believable for those who had not seen it up close that the Bulls would be as untouchable as what was touted.
The formidable lineup with bat and ball was matched by an off-field organisation and development system which exceeded rivals.
Yet an examination of their season highlights a dichotomy between their reputation and output.
In round three, Narre Warren reached 256 before the match was abandoned due to rain.
In round six, Parkfield was 5/72 needing 142 before the match was abandoned due to rain.
In round 10, Parkfield was 1/112 going at almost five an over before the match was abandoned due to rain.
Rain has saved them when they have clearly twice been behind the game, and on another occasion where it was on a knife’s edge.
Dandenong West also only narrowly staved off defeat against Narre in the return clash, and was bested by HSD at Greaves Reserve in round one – played in late December.
Sunday’s reverse outright loss to Parkmore was one which had seemed inexorable for much of the summer given the misfiring batting lineup.
The Bulls’ standing on top of the table by seven points is down to their capacity to pounce on weaker opposition and take 20 wickets better than the rest of the competition.
An average score of 145 when bowled out is significantly below what would be expected of a premiership contender.
Anthony Brannan and Shaun Weir both sit in the top five run-scorers in the competition, but Dandenong West has only one other play in the top 30, and only one half-century has been scored by players outside of that pair.
It’s not time to panic yet – but, certainly, leashes are getting shorter and pressure is increasing on non-delivering players.
Brannan will be hoping his bowlers can once again produce some magic – but that will be difficult against a Cobras lineup which has the quality of capable top-order bat Ryan Patterson batting in the bottom three.
The key difference between the teams will be how they look to take wickets through the middle overs.
Dandenong West take the slower route to attack, with Malinga Bandara and Riley Siwes both proven wicket-takers with their wrist spin.
While HSD have strong spinning options, they play the role of building pressure, with Patterson capable of bowling long spells and getting the breakthrough.
Despite the experience discrepancy favouring Dandy West, HSD has proven more poised in big moments this season – when they took five quick wickets to beat the Bulls by nine runs in the clash earlier in the season.
A key area the Cobras appear ahead of their opponents is the stability of roles within the XI.
Despite middling output, HSD is unlikely to deviate from the game plan which has so far worked while Dandy West still has some ironing out to do.
For the first time all season it feels like Dandy West’s status as the competition front runners is in question; and a loss in round 12 would without doubt swing the pendulum HSD’s way in the run to finals.
The other games see Parkfield take on Narre Warren, Cranbourne take on Lyndale and Parkmore fight it out with Keysborough.
Tips: HSD v Dandenong West, CRANBOURNE v Lyndale, PARKMORE v Keysborough, PARKFIELD v Narre Warren
