Dandenong is comfortably placed in its pursuit of Kingston-Hawthorn’s 197 in the Vic Premier Cricket competition.
The Panthers got off to a strong start on Day 1, reducing the visitors to 3/33 at Shepley Oval after choosing to bowl first.
A 47-run fourth wicket partnership and unbeaten 54 to Nic Tindall helped the Hawks scrap to 197 off 73 overs despite a five wicket haul to Dandenong’s Noah Hurley.
The consistent and attacking speedster with Victorian Second XI experience took 5/58 off 22 opening the bowling, including the two openers in his first spell.
It’s his second five wicket haul at the level after taking five against Greenvale last year.
Hurley was well aided by James Nanopoulos who was at his trusty best, taking 2/29 off 16.5 overs.
Dhanusa Ghamage is Dandenong’s only casualty at stumps, dismissed for 13, while Ryan Hammel is unbeaten on 41 off just 47 balls, while Shobit Singh was also positive, finding his way to 19.
The Second XI game is also well placed thanks to a century to Venuk Hemachandra.
Playing his first season of Premier Cricket after representing Dandenong West in the Dandenong District Cricket Association competition in recent seasons to help the Bulls get promoted to Turf 1, Hemachandra was the backbone of the innings with 129 off 146 opening the batting to guide his team to 255.
Jett Kelly also made a slashing lower order 42 before Nathan Whitford and Hayden Wrigglesworth reduced Kinston-Hawthorn to 5/54 at stumps.
Backing up his 118 in Round 3, Abhikaran Singh Chhina scored an unbeaten 202 off just 141 balls to help the Third XI to 4/397.
The big-hitting number four launched 16 balls over the ropes, scoring 156 of his runs from boundaries.
Kingston-Hawthorn is 0/22 after Dandenong declared, searching for a late wicket on Day 1.
Thenuka Perera’s stunning eight wicket haul has put the Fourth XI in a competitive position, with Kingston-Hawthorn all out for 238.
Bowling first change, Perera took a hattrick late in the day and nabbed five wickets with his last 15 balls to destroy the lower order after breaking a 50-run opening partnership earlier to turn the momentum of the game.
It follows two wickets across his first two games of the season for the Panthers, going at more than five an over.
The women’s game on Sunday was washed out.
