By ROY WARD
DANDENONG Panthers were ruing a poor batting performance in the Premier Cricket grand final on the weekend.
The Panthers won the toss but could manage only 237 on a flat Junction Oval wicket that opponents Richmond made the most of, compiling 7-317 to bat the premiers out of the game on day two.
Yesterday, the Tigers batted through the first two hours of day three before Panthers captain Darren Dempsey called a close to play with the new premier at 8-357.
Tigers all-rounder Will Sheridan, who won the John Scholes medal as best player, made 69 and took 3-69 in the first innings.
Dempsey, who retired from Premier Cricket after the game, said his side had not made the most of the batting conditions and had paid the price for it.
“This was a 350-run pitch,” he said. “We didn’t bat well enough. If we had made 350 then we would have been in a much better position.”
Panthers star Brett Forsyth (97) got himself to the verge of a grand final century before being run out as last wicket down while trying to stretch for an extra run.
Dempsey was also disappointed his side had missed out on some close leg-before-wicket shouts on day two as Ryan Carters (102) led his side past the Panthers’ total.
“When you have a small total you need all those decisions to go your way, but it wasn’t to be.”
James Nanoupolous led the Panthers’ bowling figures with 3-68 and James Wilcox (2-63) also looked dangerous.
“We put in the best bowling attack we could, but there is no doubt it hurt us to take out the guys we don’t have from last year’s grand final,” Dempsey said.
International players Peter Siddle, James Pattinson and Darren Pattinson were all missing from the Panthers side. The first two are on the tour of the West Indies and Darren Pattinson is injured.
Dempsey said his bowlers had toiled hard for little return and he called for the Panthers to scour their catchment areas for bowlers capable of becoming Premier Cricket spinners.
Dempsey gave himself a farewell bowl late on day two and bowled Richmond’s Daniel Sartori.
SCOREBOARD
Dandenong 1st innings
B Forsyth run out 97
T Donnell c Carters b Wise 6
P Sweeney c Sartori b Torney 19
D Dempsey c Carters b Sheridan 18
M Sweeney b Torney 34
J Nanopoulos b McDonald 28
B Hocking lbw McDonald 12
B Fairbanks lbw b McDonald 1
P Boraston c Carters b Sheridan 0
J Butterfield lbw Sheridan 0
J Wilcock not out 1
Sundries 21
Total 237
Overs: 84.2.
Fall: 13, 38, 80, 152, 196, 221, 225, 226, 236, 237.
Bowling: Wise 1-3-1-50, Shimell 11-4-0-29, Torney 15-6-2-26, Delmont 2-1-0-5, Sheridan 18-3-3-65, McDonald 20.2-3-3-49.
Richmond 1st innings
C Weeks c Hocking b Wilcock 4
T Boxell c Donnell b Nanopoulos 39
A Delmont b Nanopoulos 12
R Carters c Hocking b Wilcock 102
W Sheridan c Fairbanks b Butterfield 69
G Manou b Nanopoulos 17
B McDonald not out 77
D Sartori b Dempsey 1
B Torney c Forsyth b Butterfield 10
A Wise not out 8
Sundries 18
Total 8-357
Overs: 133.
Fall: 5, 35, 78, 183, 211, 306, 307, 326.
Bowling: Butterfield 26-9-2-54, Wilcock 21-5-2-63, Fairbanks 24-4-0-79, Boraston 15-3-0-51, Nanopoulos 38-13-3-68, Sweeney 3-0-0-15, Dempsey 6-1-1-17.
