By Nick Creely
IT was an innings so brutal that at times it defied belief.
Tom Donnell had made centuries previously, but Saturday’s epic ton against Melbourne University has been lauded as one of Premier Cricket’s finest performances.
The left-handed batsman made 114 not-out off just 60 deliveries, with five massive sixes blasted over the boundary.
Donnell told the Gazette the innings is now a little bit of a blur, but understands the significance of the achievement in helping his side stay undefeated.
“It all happened so quickly to be honest,” he said.
“I probably haven’t hit the ball as cleanly – it’s certainly up there with the best innings I’ve ever played.
“There was always sort of a plan with a lower target to go for the bonus point – that’s something that we always have in mind.
“It was sort of a case of getting the pace of the wicket and getting used to the conditions – it was quite windy.
“It actually did take a little bit to get going and once I sort of got used to the conditions it was pretty good to bat in.”
One of his sixes, off University spinner James Bett, landed on the roof of an unlucky patron’s car.
“I think the person may have parked the car a little too close to the boundary,“ Donnell chuckled.
“The car was actually parked on the fence on one of the short boundaries – it actually wasn’t that big of a hit.”
Interestingly, Donnell started his innings slowly, and scored his first handful of runs without a boundary.
But something switched, and the skipper went berserk, scoring 42 runs in boundaries in a row, leaving University, his team-mates and the spectators in awe.
With a total of just 150 to chase, the Panthers skipper saw no reason to stick around.
But it’s not like his opening partner, Brett Forsyth, wasn’t striking the ball nicely – it was just that Donnell played the innings of his life.
Panther batsman Lincoln Edwards said they aimed to win the game as quickly as possible but never anticipated an innings of this magnitude.
“We had an aim to get the bonus point so there was an urgency addressed before we started the innings, but I don’t think any of us expected that,” he said.
“I think every one of us sitting in the stands was just speechless.”
The innings helped catapult the Panthers to top spot after four rounds, and Donnell is fully aware of the importance of these early wins.
“We feel that we are a better side than the last few years.
“We’ve built a really good platform and there’s definitely a goal to make finals, having missed it the last few years.
“We’ll keep pushing towards that,” Donnell said.
Dandenong host the Greenvale Kangaroos at Shepley Oval on Saturday from 11am.
