By RUSSELL BENNETT
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 4 (Day 2)
CARDINIA v KOOWEERUP
THE Demons do their best work after Christmas – in the second half of the home and away season and in the ensuing finals. Everyone knows it – they’ve proven time and time again how devastating they are in the second half of the season. When the biggest moments of the season call for Kooweerup’s proven performers to stand up and be counted, they do so like clockwork. That’s exactly why noone is really taking the Demons’ current form on face value. But should they? Should we be looking a little harder at the two-time reigning champions?
To say Kooweerup’s current form with the willow is troubling is severely under-selling it. Chris Bright has led the way with a couple of strong performances and is currently averaging 32.7, but skipper Michael Giles is averaging 13.5, Matt Bright 7.6, Paul Bright 10 and Matt Davey 12. It’s a particularly small sample size after just four rounds, but it doesn’t make it any less of a predicament for the Demons to dig their way out of.
Chasing 258 for victory against their old rivals Cardinia at E. Gunton Oval on Saturday, Koowee was rolled for just 67. Bulls player-coach Dwayne Doig was the chief destroyer with a brilliant 6/31 from his 22 overs (including 17 maidens), while Travis Welsh took a stellar 3/1 from four overs. Again, it’s only Round 4 – and the Demons are still in fifth on the ladder, tied with the Bulls on two wins and two losses through their first four games, but there was a player meeting at the club on Monday night with all Premier players expected to attend.
This week they come up against a rampant Pakenham side at Denhams Road, but Lions captain-coach Dom Paynter isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Kooweerup is clearly still the best side in the competition,” he told the Gazette.
“We know full well what we’re going to have to overcome to beat them, and until we’ve won something we haven’t proven anything.
“We need another even contribution but we’re expecting a great match. It’ll be a good test to show where we’re at as a side.”
Paynter is expecting the Demons to come out breathing fire, and isn’t looking too far into his side’s performance against last season’s other grand finalist – Cardinia – back in Round 1.
“That’s irrelevant, to be honest,” he said of his side’s big win over the Bulls.
“Koowee is a completely different side and they play a completely different brand of cricket.
“We’re expecting them to come out hard this week.”
Giles and Chris Bright are on the verge of impressive Premier division milestones – currently sitting on 2997 and 1983 runs respectively – while the Demons will be looking to pick up their seventh win over Pakenham in the Premier era. They currently lead their head-to-head match-up 6-3 with one draw.
The Bulls, meanwhile, will look to capitalise on their current form when they head to Lawson Poole Rec Reserve on Saturday.
MERINDA PARK v TOORADIN
THE Seagulls, meanwhile, finished off their strong work from day one against Merinda Park at Donnelly Reserve, passing the Cobras’ 134 for the loss of just four wickets.
Resuming on day two on 0/63, Gulls openers Tom Hussey and Josh Lownds continued in a positive frame of mind and went on to compile a 127-run opening stand – setting up the result. Hussey eventually fell for 69, while Lownds (54) also recorded a half-century.
Reece Williams took three of the Seagulls wickets to fall, eventually finishing with 3/53.
Speaking to the Gazette after the game, Hussey was pleased to just get the points.
“We didn’t really know what to expect – like us, they’re a bit different to the side they were last year,” he said of the Cobras.
“But we couldn’t really worry about what they were doing.
“We just had to concentrate on hitting our areas.”
While he praised Lownds’ ability to identify and put away the bad balls on Saturday, he highlighted Dylan Sutton’s and Matt Welsh’s performances with the ball on day one of the clash.
“Dylan Sutton was outstanding for us opening the bowling, and Matty Welsh is bowling beautifully without luck too,” Hussey said.
“It was a really even contribution. Everyone who came on to bowl did their role and at no stage did we really give away any loose balls to hit for them to get going.
“Dyl hits the seam nicely and even with the old ball he still gets it to do a little bit.
“He was pushing into a breeze and if anything that probably helped him. His bowling performance was fantastic.”
Hussey admitted the potential was there for his side to keep batting on Saturday, well after the Gulls passed the Merinda Park total. But he opted against it.
“We were going to give a few other blokes a hit but it’s a bit difficult to bat in those circumstances when there’s probably not much to play for, I suppose,” he said.
Looking ahead to this week, the Gulls face a danger side in Upper Beaconsfield – one that beat them in Round 9 last season.
“I don’t really know what to expect from them but in the past they’ve always gone pretty well against us and we’re definitely not taking them lightly,” Hussey said of the challenge against the Maroons.
“We know if we win the next couple of games we’ll be sitting 5-1 and going pretty well for finals, but we need to continue to do what we’ve been doing.”
Since the 2009/10 Premier season, the Maroons actually have the advantage over Tooradin head-to-head, with six wins to four.
UPPER BEACONSFIELD v CRANBOURNE MEADOWS
UPPER Beaconsfield declared on their overnight score of 7/209, sending the Rebels back in and searching for valuable outright points after steamrolling through them for just 39 on day one.
The Meadows’ batting effort was much better on Saturday – with player-coach Chris Milne (51) recording his first half-century of the season, all-rounder Shameera Weerasinghe adding 30, and opener Wayne Diss scoring 21 at the top of the order – but it still wasn’t enough to stave off an outright loss. Kyle Gibbs continued his stellar start to the season with the ball, snaring 4/10 from his 11 overs while Scott Pitcher claimed 3/29 from 15 overs.
PAKENHAM v EMERALD
THE Lions continue to roar, with Pakenham the lone undefeated side in the competition after a comprehensive win over Emerald at Toomuc Reserve.
Pakenham set up the result on day one, with Jack Ryan taking 4/45 and playing a key role in dismissing Emerald for just 140 in 56 overs.
“Jack bowled really well – he was full and aggressive, particularly in his second spell,” Lions skipper Dom Paynter said of Ryan’s performance.
“(And) Russ was right on the money as per usual – he just bowls a relentless line and length and is constantly putting batsmen under pressure.”
Pakenham resumed on day two at 0/85 and despite losing Russell Lehman (53) early were never in danger of falling short of the Bombers’ total. Chris Smith was once again sublime – pouncing on anything loose, but staying disciplined to good deliveries. His 81 was his second 75-plus run innings in three rounds and he’s currently averaging 55 – an ominous sign for the rest of the competition.
But the Lions know they’re going to have to keep their form going if they’re to defeat the Demons at Denhams Road in Round 5. While Kooweerup has a string of batsmen desperate to find their form, look for the battle of the Demons’ seamers up against the Pakenham top-order batting to go a long way to determining the outcome.
After three straight losses dating back to Round 2, Emerald will look to bounce back at home against Merinda Park this week and their own top and middle order batting line-up will lead the way if they’re to halt their slide. The Bombers are yet to defeat Merinda Park in the Premier era, with the head-to-head tally currently 4-0 the Cobras’ way.
