By Nick Creely
VICTORIAN PREMIER CRICKET
ROUND 5
Casey-South Melbourne captain Lachlan Sperling is the first to admit that his side has severely under-performed in its winless start to the season, but will continue to back his team in to find a way to break out of a form slump that threatens to not only derail the season, but end it.
After his side put up a more competitive performance in a five wicket loss to Geelong on Saturday at Casey Fields, with young debutants Austin Heldt and Jonah Serong impressing, Sperling said despite the disappointment, there was plenty to take out of the game.
“(There was) definitely more positive signs as a group, still not the result we were after but we showed a lot more fight despite scoring a sub-par total,” he said.
The Swans were sent in to bat on a tough batting deck, and despite starting steadily, only managed to post 9/169 off their 50 overs.
Heldt (31) at the top of the order was particularly impressive – particularly square of the wicket – and managed to survive a nasty spell by Cats’ spearhead Dom McGlinchey (2/23) to get the 19-year-old’s Premier career off on the right foot.
He was ably backed up by Chris Benedek (34), who continued his strong form in the middle order, while Dylan Hadfield (35) and Brendan Rose (26) helped guide the Swans to a competitive total after being 5/70 midway through the innings.
Casey spearhead Nathan Lambden (2/42) picked up the key scalp of Tim Ludeman caught behind for a duck to get the home side off to a perfect start, but a 74-run partnership between skipper Eamonn Vines (74) and Josh McDonald (61) saw the Cats climb into a winning position.
Serong, the 16-year-old spinner from Longwarry, was brilliant on debut, using his flight and variations perfectly to finish with 2/24 as the Swans mounted a late comeback in the middle stages, but ultimately the Cats found the winning runs five wickets down in the 40th over.
Sperling – who took 1/26 with his left arm spinners – was full of praise for both Heldt and Serong – who look like they will have long careers at Premier level.
“Both debutants were super impressive – Aussie at the top of the order stood up well to some quality bowling when the ball was seaming around a bit,” he said.
“Jonah was also fantastic with the ball showing great control and bowling to a plan.
“For a 16-year-old kid to come in and do what he did was really exciting.
“Both boys showed no signs of nerves and it gives us great signs moving forward.”
Sperling again lamented the batting effort, with the Swans once again losing too many quick wickets, but backs his side to find a way to score heavier runs.
“Obviously the intent and building up of dot ball pressure has contributed to (our) poor shot selection,” he explained.
“But we have great faith in our top seven to get the job done and hopefully a few big scores as a group aren’t far away.”
And the club will only move forward as they look to climb off the bottom of the ladder, with a winnable game against Frankston on Saturday the perfect chance to get their season back on track.
“We’ve got quite a bit of cricket to be played before the longer formats begin but I’m confident we have a core group that will be competitive and put the results on the board that we’re after,” he said.
“The boys are upbeat. It’s not ideal that we’re 0-5 but we know there are a lot of points on offer over the next three weeks where we can start pegging our season back on track.
“We know Frankston has a very talented side and we will have to be at our best to knock them off.
“We know 0-5 isn’t ideal but we will embrace the challenge to put the results on the board to get our season back on track.”
Meanwhile, Dandenong’s sizzling opening month to the 2017/18 season has been disrupted, with the Panthers inflicted with their first loss of the season against Melbourne Uni on Saturday.
Uni skipper James McNeil sent the Panthers in to bat, and it took just until the second over for star bat Brett Forsyth (0) to fall – caught and bowled to Mark Stafford (1/35) – a massive wicket considering his rollicking start to the season.
Skipper Tom Donnell (7) and promoted batsman Comrey Edgeworth (45) steadied on a tough track, before Donnell was caught behind off in-form quick Wes Agar (1/24) to leave the visitors 2/18 – an almost unseen scenario facing the Panthers in the opening four games of the season.
Edgeworth combined for strong partnerships with Ed Newman (19) and LJ Edwards (24), but quick wickets in the middle stages of innings had the Panthers 7/121, and when Edgeworth was bowled on the brink of a maiden first XI half century, the momentum shifted back to the Uni.
Unrecognised batsmen Akshat Buch (28 not out) and Peter Cassidy (19) then ensured the Panthers could reach a competitive 8/178 off their 50 overs with some late hitting.
Uni openers James Bett (53) and Andrew Young (19) got off to a swift 49-run start on their home deck, before Peter Cassidy picked up the vital breakthrough of Young.
But the Panthers struggled to contain Bett, who made an elegant half century, and when he was finally removed by left arm spinner Buch (2/47), the damage was already done with the score reaching 3/101.
Despite a commendable fightback in the middle, with the Panthers reeling Uni back to 6/157 in the 38th over, the home side comfortably passed them seven wickets down.
WARRAGUL DISTRICT
ROUND 5 (DAY ONE)
Ellinbank and Drouin are locked in a tightly fought match, with the ball dominating the bat on day one at Ellinbank Recreation Reserve.
Winning the toss and batting, the Bankers’ top order was torn apart by Brad Glover (6/15), who was virtually unplayable as only one of the top six reached double figures.
In-form opening batsman Troy Ferguson (33) anchored the innings brilliantly, and guided by some late cameos by Stan Harrison (19 not out), Will Robertson (17) and Jeremy Gray (15), the Bankers scrapped their way to 121 off 60.1 overs.
With 16 overs of batting for the Hawks to deal with, the Bankers picked up two early wickets to leave the visitors 2/31 at stumps.
Buln Buln, meanwhile, racked up a highly competitive 5/210 in its clash with Hallora.
Off the back of a quick-fire 56 off 31 balls at the end of the day by Bryce Monahan, the Lyrebirds managed to put themselves in a winning position.
Jack Armour (47), Corey Jagoe (33), Jack Paull (32) and Reece Campbell (30) all played strong knocks.
Jai Serong (2/24) was the only Kangaroo bowler to take multiple wickets.
Down at Logan Park, star Yarragon all-rounder Gamini Kumara is keeping the Panthers in the contest against a Sam Batson inspired Western Park.
The brilliant Kumara slashed 84 not out as the Panthers scratched their way to 165, with his side unable to cope with Warriors quick Batson’s (7/34) extraordinary bowling spell.
The Warriors look to be cruising towards a comfortable victory after finishing the day on 0/18 after six overs – Tyler McMillan (12) and Joel Batson (5) the not out batsmen.
Longwarry has the bye.
SUBBIES – SOUTH/EAST
ROUND 3
Endeavour Hills fell agonisingly short of its first win of the season, with the Eagles falling six runs short against Bayswater in a Twenty20 at Sydney Pargeter Reserve.
After sending Bayswater in to bat, the visitors couldn’t recover from a couple of early wickets, and scratched their way to 6/124 after 20 overs.
Club coach Richard Saniga (1/19 off four overs) was outstanding for the Eagles, while Hemantha Jayasundera (0/16 off four overs) kept things tight early.
After a swift start inspired by captain Brad Baptist (33), the Eagles were cruising at 2/86, before a game changing spell to Sam Carter (4/19) saw the home side finish on 9/119 off their 20 overs.
Down at Pat Wright Oval, Noble Park’s excellent start to the season continued with a comfortable 12 run win over Croydon.
The Parkers batted with aggression, and after strong knocks by Mevan Fernando (36) and Robert Johnston (31 not out), posted a formidable 4/159 off 20 overs.
Croydon surged out to 0/72 with both opening batsmen finding plenty of boundaries, but Parkers’ legend Marsinghe Perera (5/15) changed the game with a match winning spell of bowling that saw the visitors finishing on 8/147.
MPCA – PROVINCIAL
ROUND 4 (DAY TWO)
Pearcedale couldn’t find enough momentum to defeat Mornington on Saturday, with the Panthers falling 131 runs short of victory at home.
After the ‘Dogs posted a commanding 4/298 last week, the chase was running along smoothly with the Panthers at one point 2/113.
But a middle order collapse – sparked by some brilliant bowling by Matt Foon (3/32) and Michael Heib (5/42) – saw the Panthers bowled out for 167.
Opening batsman Brad Trotter (73) top scored for the Panthers in a terrific display for the home side.
