By Russell Bennett
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 4 (Day 1)
KOOWEERUP v MERINDA PARK
ONE of the most important traits of any strong leader lies in the ability to lead by example, and Kooweerup captain-coach Mark Cooper couldn’t have dreamed for a better start to his tenure at his former arch rivals – the Demons.
Cooper has taken over a club, and a Premier side, with two key objectives in mind – developing its exciting young talent, while also trying to compete for premierships.
But no doubt a third objective – on a personal level – would have been to start strongly with the willow and set the tone for those young guns to follow.
To say Cooper has started “well” might be a slight understatement, given he currently averages 285 through three knocks this season – including an unbeaten 145 on Saturday against the Cobras.
He attributes much of his, and his side’s, early season form to a positive mindset and a particularly strong pre-season which has allowed the Demons to hit the ground running. He also said “not overthinking it” out in the middle was a major factor.
Cooper also spoke of the potential of his new opening partnership with Chris O’Hara, adding what a springboard O’Hara and former Demons skipper Michael Giles used to consistently provide the side, and comparing that with his own former opening combination with John Nooy at Cardinia.
Though it’s still early days, he and O’Hara have already gelled nicely.
While there were reservations from some circles about the pair being too similar in the way they play, Cooper – in particular – appears to have opened up his stroke-making repertoire since he was last in the competition.
Cooper and O’Hara started with another 50-plus run opening stand on Saturday – setting their side up for their 267-run total on a slower-than-usual Denhams Road deck.
But there’s still plenty to work on.
“Some of the boys were pretty disappointed in the way they went out on the weekend – a few of them probably made the wrong decisions at the wrong time,” Cooper said.
A series of poor dismissals – including O’Hara’s; and Cody Miller and Andrew Martin both getting caught off full-tosses – threatened to halt the Demons’ progress but Cooper later combined with Premier debutant Lachie Ramage (18), and Jess Mathers (29) and Chris Bright (22) to keep the innings ticking along.
Demons legend Matt Davey has been tasked with setting the Demons’ batting lineups this season and he’s shown a real willingness to put faith in the likes of Miller, Mitch Cammarano, and Ramage in key positions. They’re all teenagers, and they all have incredibly exciting futures in the game.
Cooper said he was happy with his side making 267 on day one after being around the 4/90 mark at tea.
Leigh Paterson was the Cobras’ leading wicket-taker with 4/98 from 27 overs while coach Dylan Cuthbertson took 3/87 from his 22.
UPPER BEACONSFIELD v PAKENHAM
WITH each passing game day it becomes more obvious that the Maroons are the real deal in season 2016//17 and a legitimate force to be reckoned with.
Though Upper Beaconsfield has struggled in its search for consistency in recent Premier seasons, this campaign is different with a much more even spread of contributors across the board with both bat and ball.
In Round 4 they’re facing their sternest test yet – the reigning premier, and the only other undefeated side in the competition, Pakenham.
And – so far, so good.
In recent seasons, if the Maroons stumbled to 3/34 against an attack the calibre of Pakenham’s, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see them rolled cheaply.
But this is a vastly different lineup.
Despite early wickets falling around him, Upper Beac newcomer Jonathon Caderamanpulle kept his composure held his composure superbly – first with skipper Bathiya Perera (37), and then in a 97-run sixth wicket stand with Scott Pitcher (55).
The Lions struggled with both their line and length at times but the Maroons showed a real ability to bat confidently in partnerships en route to their 257 on an Upper Beaconsfield ground that isn’t typically the highest scoring.
Jack Ryan returned to the Pakenham line-up for the first time this season, claiming 2/63 from his 12 overs while former Upper Beaconsfield pair Tom Tyrrell (2/29) and Chris Savage (2/28) also took two wickets apiece against their former side.
The Lions survived the final two overs of day one and will resume on 0/1 this week with Jack Anning and Dan Vela the not out batsmen.
Pakenham’s super-deep batting lineup would still be favoured to get the job done, but a win for the Maroons could set them well on their way to contending this season.
If there’s one thing the Lions could take away from Upper Beac’s day one performance it’s the importance of partnership batting at key stages.
TOORADIN v PAKENHAM UPPER-TOOMUC
FOR Cal O’Hare, it’s just so good to be home.
The Seagulls favourite son freely admits he missed playing with his mates last season in what is a particularly tight-knit Tooradin group.
And now that he’s back at the nest, his form shows.
Though it wasn’t his best knock – and one that certainly wasn’t chanceless – O’Hare compiled a stellar 135 on Saturday to steer the Gulls to an imposing 5/322 on day one of their clash at home against Pakenham Upper/Toomuc.
He was dropped on 94, with another chance also going begging when he was on the same total, but as his innings progressed his confidence and rhythm continued to improve.
“It definitely wasn’t my best innings,” O’Hare said.
“My first 20 runs or so were pretty scratchy.
“But once I faced 20 or 30 overs or so it really started to come to me.”
He said the likes of Nick Kyval and Luke Gunton were both hard to get away at stages, while Lee Harris and Lucas Plozza (2/70) also posed some real questions with the new ball.
“They don’t have a lot of real pace, but they definitely move the ball around which is tough to face,” he said.
“They just didn’t take their chances in the field.”
Russell Lehman (62) and Tom Hussey (35) put on 57 for the opening wicket on Saturday before O’Hare and Lehman added another 102.
The Gulls big man spoke about how he was looking forward to batting with the ever-composed Lehman throughout the season, adding his great mate’s style of play allowed him to “just go out there and bat”.
But O’Hare also spoke of the importance of Andrew Proctor’s unbeaten 60 coming in at number six.
“That’s probably the thing we’ve lacked the past few years – someone being able to come in and make that 60 or 70 at six, seven or eight,” he said
“Too much has probably been left to the top-order.”
But he and Proctor added 115 for the fifth wicket on Saturday – the biggest partnership of the innings.
He said this season’s Tooradin side had the right mix with both bat and ball, particularly with the recent inclusion of prodigiously-talented all-rounder Kade Burns.
After his horror run of knee injuries, O’Hare admitted he still doesn’t quite have total confidence in his body, but it’s getting there and improving every week.
He’ll continue to do put the overs in with the ball and said the Gulls – as a unit – had the ability to be the best bowling side in the competition … as long as they maintained their discipline.
They’ll get their chance to do just that this weekend.
CARDINIA v EMERALD
IT seems like the Bombers have finally taken steps towards rectifying the biggest issue plaguing them since making the step up from the District division – batting depth around skipper AJ Walker.
Newcomer Mitch Daley looked in great touch against the Bulls in Cardinia on Saturday – scoring a well-earned half-century at the top of the order for Emerald before the side was ultimately dismissed for 194 in 72 overs.
The visitors looked shaky at just 1/2 when Mark Alenson was bowled by David Kingston but Owen Thorne (17) then combined with Daley to steady the ship.
A string of wickets from 3/108 to 7/139 seemed to doom the Bombers to a sub-160 total but the lower order showed plenty of backbone with Jarrad Donders (25) and Clinton Marsh (21) contributing some extremely valuable runs.
Daley and Walker, in particular, showed great intent with the willow against one of the Premier division’s perennial heavyweights – including stars Dwayne Doig and Neil Barfuss.
But the Bulls’ coach and captain had the last laugh – snaring 3/72 and 4/28 respectively in 42 combined overs.
Walker was given an early life through a rare missed stumping opportunity by normally safe-as-houses gloveman Luke Turner off Doig’s bowling, but he fell leg-before to Barfuss in his first over.
The tea break – which was called at Walker’s dismissal at 3/108 – came at the worst possible time for the Bombers, bringing their promising momentum to a screeching halt.
Barfuss and Doig’s guile and experience proved the difference for the Bulls but the Bombers’ batsmen showed what’s possible with the willow when displaying positive intent.
Coach Michael Nell, keeper Ian Litterbach, Thorne, Donders and Marsh all showed an eagerness to not get bogged down against what can often be an imposing Bulls attack.
Though their total is likely to be 40-50 runs short, the Bombers definitely have a total to defend this week and are in with more than a fighter’s chance of securing their first points of the season.
The Bulls faced the final five overs of day one and made it through to stumps unscathed – despite Ben Parrott surviving a close call off Marsh. Cardinia will resume at 0/18 this Saturday with Parrott unbeaten on one and Premier debutant Brad Reiner on 14.
