Super Slam starts brightly

Dandenong''s James Nanopoulos during his 50 for the Panthers on Sunday. 188123 Pictures: ROB CAREW

By Nick Creely and Russell Bennett

AROUND THE GROUNDS

VICTORIAN SUPER SLAM

ROUNDS 1 AND 2

At a buzzing Central Reserve in Glen Waverley, the inaugural Victorian Twenty20 Super Slam kicked off on Sunday, with Dandenong and Casey-South Melbourne both starting their respective campaigns with mixed results.

The Panthers took on the Prahran True Blues on the South oval for the early 9.00am fixture, and compiled a competitive 129 in 19.4 overs, with gun opener Brett Forsyth the only one to get off the chain with a typically classy 46 off 42 balls.

Englishman and marquee spinner Karl Carver got the Panthers off to a perfect start in their defence, picking up the key scalp of True Blues star Shaun Miller, but a series of partnerships, halted the Panthers from making too much of a dent in the chase, with Will Sutherland (30) and Adam Bull (25) building the platform.

The True Blues eventually took the points with three balls and four wickets left in the shed.

There was no rest for the True Blues, who immediately followed their win against the Panthers with an equally impressive performance against Casey-South Melbourne.

Swans skipper Luke Wells sent the True Blues into bat, and from the outset, the raw pace and energy of Nathan Lambden (4/20) saw the batting side quickly fall to 2/25.

The True Blues worked hard to combat the Swans, with Pranav Menon (29) launching a couple well over the ropes, but his run out, brought about by some clever work in the field by Lachie Sperling, saw them fall from 4/98 to 134 all out.

Nuwan Kulasekera (3/19) and Lambden – particularly late – often looked a class above, but the Swans’ savvy fielding and ability to exert pressure on the opposition was most noticeable.

The run chase started brightly, with the left handed Wells (21 off 13 balls) smacking four boundaries in a matter of balls to different parts of the ground, before his untimely departure followed by that of Jared Maxwell only two balls later saw the Swans fall to 2/26.

Pakenham star Dale Tormey (23) – one of three marquee players for the Swans – launched a cracking pull shot that landed on the hill in a great counter attacking display, but was undone by Shaun Miller (1/16) just as he looked to threaten, and similar to the True Blues, the Swans lost a clump of middle order wickets, and eventually got bowled out for 123 in 18 overs.

The Panthers and Swans then did battle for the final match of the day, and similar to the thrilling two-day match played the weekend prior, it once again went down to the wire.

A brilliant run out by Swans keeper Devin Pollock orchestrated the dismissal of Brett Forsyth in the opening overs, but James Nanopoulos (50) and Suraj Randiv (15) managed to knock the ball around smartly, putting on 29 runs before Hallam-Kalora Park all-rounder Jordan Hammond (3/17) managed to snag Randiv.

Hammond got through the gate of the dangerous Lincoln Edwards before he could get settled, but Nanopoulos and Ed Newman (17) started to look comfortable on a pitch that wasn’t exactly conducive to batting all day.

Despite Hammond bowling with great energy and proving he belongs at the Premier level, the Panthers managed to claw their way to 6/127 at the end of the 20 overs, with Comrey Edgeworth’s run-a-ball 16 helping them along the way.

The Swans lost danger man Dale Tormey early, with off-spinner Suraj Randiv (2/22) forcing the star to chop on, and with Jared Maxwell (35) and Luke Wells (23) looking set, the Swans raced out to 1/48 and in a strong position.

Randiv and fellow spinner Akshat Buch (2/16) brought the game back to life, forcing plenty of mistakes as they tightened the screws and cut off the boundaries.

As he did in the opening match, Nuwan Kulasekera (24 off 19 balls) managed to reverse the tide and find some much needed momentum, and with just an over left, the Swans needed seven runs for victory.

But a brilliant final over from emerging quick Jakeb Thomas (3/27) denied the Swans a victory, finishing on 7/124 after their 20 overs.

WARRAGUL DISTRICT – GIPPSLAND CRICKET LEAGUE

ROUND 3

After a stunning tie in Round 2 of the GCL against competition heavyweight Bairnsdale, Warragul and District was brought back down to earth with a thud on Sunday on home turf against Leongatha and District.

The ‘Wild Dogs’ sent Leongatha in to bat at the picturesque Hallora ground and struck early with a pair of vital blows – leaving the visitors scrambling at 2/9.

But from there, Leongatha steadied – ultimately batting out their 50 overs to finish on 7/140, thanks in no small part to Callum Honeyman’s marathon knock.

Though he hardly made a mountain of runs, Honeyman’s near two-hour stint at the crease proved vital as the wickets tumbled around him.

Troy Lehman was the pick of the home side’s bowlers with 4/34, while Malinga Surappulige (1/36) and Brad Glover (1/27) took a wicket apiece and AK Tyrone and Max Kelly conceded just 15 and 14 runs respectively from their 10 overs each.

Warragul started the chase strongly, with Jack Armour (18) and Troy Ferguson (32) combining for a 50-run opening stand.

But they both fell in reasonably quick succession, and that’s when the wheels fell off.

Only skipper Fraser Duncan, with his unbeaten 41 from a sorely-needed lengthy stay at the crease, provided any resistance from that point forward as Warragul lost its final nine wickets for just 61 runs. With the exception of Armour’s, Ferguson’s and Duncan’s innings, only 18 runs came off Warragul bats as the side was rolled for a paltry 135 despite laying the early foundations.

Jack Ginnane was the chief destroyer for Leongatha and District, claiming 6/21 from his 6.4 overs, while Senal De Silva (2/48) and Charith Keerthisinghe (2/16) were the other multiple wicket-takers and Ryan Williams claimed bragging rights with victory against his younger brother James in particularly tricky conditions that the visitors actually had the worst of.

MPCA – PROVINICAL

ROUND 6 (DAY ONE)

Peninsula Old Boys are in a strong position after a solid opening day against Pearcedale at Peninsula Grammar.

The Panthers won the toss and batted, with Matt Cousland’s 46 helping the visitors to 168 in 68.2 overs.

The Old Boys are 0/44 off 11 overs in reply at stumps, with champion batsman Dylan O’Malley racing out to 25.

In other games, Langwarrin made 246 against Mt Eliza, Mornington is 0/12 in reply to Sorrento’s 205, while Baxter (3/101) has already secured the points against Flinders (76 and 2/9).