By Russell Bennett
Pakenham has shown it belongs on the big stage of statewide Twenty20 cricket after reaching the semi-finals of the TAC Regional Big Bash at Frankston on Sunday.
The Lions had claimed a series of impressive scalps en route to its qualifying final against Central Gippsland Cricket Association side Trafalgar at Jubilee Park.
A superb bowling display from Pakenham saw the Lions tear through Trafalgar before Dom Paynter’s side made light work of the chase.
Meanwhile, at the qualifying final between Buckley Ridges and South Caulfield on the neighbouring AH Butler Oval, the Bucks stormed to a mammoth 1/184 from their 20 overs after being sent in to bat.
Star all-rounder Daniel Watson smashed an unbeaten 95 from just 58 balls despite batting with a runner for much of his innings after injuring his calf.
Susantha Pradeep (31) and Suren Ekanayake (47 not out) also shone with the willow for the DDCA side, which then restricted South Caulfield to just 9/116 from their 20 overs with Jurgen Anderson (2/18), Greg Todd (2/17), and spinner Matt Goodwright (2/18) claiming two wickets apiece.
The Lions then faced the Bucks on Sunday afternoon in the semi-final stage and put up one hell of a fight.
Zac Chaplin made the mad dash from Bonbeach to replace Nic Close (hamstring) for the clash and had an immediate impact – snaring 2/22. Tom Tyrrell (3/27) was the standout of the Lions attack as it restricted the Bucks to 7/130 from its 20 overs.
Pakenham was superb in the field – highlighted by a screamer of a catch by a leaping Chris Smith, and a brilliant direct-hit run-out by Sean Gramc.
Dom Paynter (24) and Chaplin (25) shone at the top of the order for the Lions in their reply, but the Bucks’ slower bowlers through the middle overs simply had too much guile – particularly Westley Nicholas (3/14) and Goodwright (2/16) – as they dismissed Pakenham for 115.
Earlier in the day at Bonbeach, the West Gippsland Under 21 side (118) – skippered by Chaplin – went down to Cricket Southern Bayside (128) in the Neil Wright Shield.
But the loss was the WGCA’s first of the tournament and it has still advanced to the semi-final stage to take on the MPCA.
In the other semi the DDCA will battle the unbeaten Southern Bayside.
