By Marcus Uhe
A potentially “match-winning” spell from Keysborough’s teenage sensation Dante Happawana could seal the Knights’ minor premiership hopes and avoid a dreaded two-three contest in the first week of the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 3 finals.
Happawana took 4/21 and affected a run out to bring a steady situation for Fountain Gate undone in the heavyweight top-of-the-table contest at Max Pawsey Reserve.
From 3/89, Fountain Gate finished day one at 8/110, thanks to Happawana’s four wickets and his second run out.
Bowling with a breeze behind him to assist with his angle into right-handers and away from left-handers, Happawana repaid the faith of the senior heads at the club that stuck with him despite three wicketless Turf 3 performances in his last three matches.
He broke a 70-run partnership between John Mirranay and Fountain Gate captain Karan Singh at 4/89 by dismissing Mirranay for 41, before the Gators capitulated late in the day, losing 4/5.
Antony Pradeep was the next to go after Mirranay for two, having been swallowed by Christo Otto, with Singh (41), Nadim Nazif (zero) and Ray Pal (two) all departing with the score on 110.
Outside of the pair of 41s, only Shantanu Gupta reached double figures for the Gators, making 10.
Knights’ captain, Otto, said the 16-year-old showed immense maturity and growth during the performance that typified just how far he has come from the beginning of the season.
“Normally when he gets hit for a boundary he goes into his shell a little bit, bowls short and loses his confidence but he didn’t this week,” Otto said.
“We kept him for another over and he got a wicket, then it all just went from there and he turned three into four (wickets).
“He got hit for a couple of boundaries early and without needing to say anything, he just bounced back, backed himself in and it payed dividends.
“They were doing well but for him to rip that partnership for us and get four or five quick wickets as well, it could be big for us.
“He’s still so young, he’s got a lot to learn and a lot to learn about his own game, but you’re only going to get that quicker by playing in the ones.
“He’s come along leaps and bounds.”
His success reduce the burden on the Knights’ key bowlers at the tail end of a long season, in James wright, Otto and Chanaka Kahandawala, with the latter not bowling and the others combining for just 18 overs.
Should Keysborough pick up the six points next week, the Knights will head into the finals with a pair of significant wins over their biggest threats to the Turf 3 crown, in Silverton and Fountain Gate, with wins against both sides coming in rounds 12 and 13.
There’s a run chase on a “tacky” wicket to complete before that point, but the win will all-but secure top spot on the table, barring a catastrophic loss in the final round to the winless Doveton.
Otto believes his side is receiving the ideal preparation ahead of the finals and is pleased to have the significant wins over their contemporaries under their belt before the knock-out portion of the season.
“If I could pick the fixture at the start of the year that’s exactly what I would have wanted – play two of the top three teams in the last couple of games, 100 per cent.
“I suppose you take that mental edge and advantage into it but I think it’s a reset when you get to finals – it’s a whole different game and there’s that pressure of if you lose you’re out, which changes things.
Three of the four matches slated for Turf three this weekend went ahead, with Doveton finishing in a world of hurt at stumps against Lynbrook and Berwick Springs having an excellent day with the bat against Hampton Park.
The Doves equalled their lowest total of the season, reaching just 49 in the first innings, as Lynbrook’s Jesse Walia claimed 8/22.
Lynbrook declared at 4/60 with an 11-run lead, before taking a further seven Doves wickets for 67 runs before stumps.
Walia claimed a further two to complete a 10-wicket haul, with Jatinder Singh grabbing 4/13.
Doveton will begin day two with a 56-run lead.
Lynbrook will be chasing the 10 points banked from an outright win as the Lakers remain an outside chance of claiming fourth place.
They are currently four points adrift from Hampton Park and Berwick Springs, tied on 40 points in fourth and fifth respectively.
The two managed 60 overs of play at Berwick Springs Recreation Reserve on Saturday, with Titans star Jackson Marie making a welcome return to form.
Marie, the most destructive batter in the competition last season, hit 106 at the top of the order in just his second score above 50 at Turf 3 level, as Berwick Springs posted 7/297.
Braydon Hillman (60) and Radomir Badzoka (42) added important contributions to the Titans’ best batting performance of the summer.
