By Russell Bennett
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 4 (DAY ONE)
This season’s Devon Meadows Premier outfit is clearly a vastly different one to what many had become accustomed to seeing walk out on to Glover Reserve in recent times.
There’s a real mixture of youth and experience, with new leaders at the helm.
With that will bring obvious growing pains and inconsistencies, but the Panthers are looking for something that can be sustained into the future.
On Saturday, on the first day of Round 4 action – the start of two-day cricket for season 2019/20 – the Panthers showed just what they’re capable of.
Their backs were firmly against the wall in the early going, at one stage stumbling to 2/4 and sliding to an even more precarious 3/14
But, despite the impressive bowling of Merinda Park skipper Jarrod Armitage (5/72) with his first significant haul of wickets since returning to the Cobras, Lucas Ligt (31) and Luke Hamilton (26), and the Panthers’ new-look leadership pairing of captain Michael Addison (67) and coach Joel Wylie (40 not out) did a superb job of rescuing the home side’s innings – playing significant roles in the Panthers ultimately reaching 226 before being dismissed in the 58th over.
The innings had to overcome some serious hurdles along the way – not only at 3/14, but also later at 6/79.
“We’re not getting off to very good starts, but it’s definitely something we’ve been working on,” Addison told the Gazette.
“It’s just that, between some decent bowling and maybe poor shot selection, we’ve been finding ways to get out early.”
But, as Addison acknowledged, for the first time in a long time the Panthers’ tail seriously wagged on Saturday.
“(And) on a personal level, it was good for me – because I know there were a few raised eyebrows when I was named captain,” the keeper-batsman admitted.
The Panthers were still in an extremely precarious position when Wylie joined Addison at the crease, but their stand turned the innings right around.
In fact, Wylie’s first runs for the Panthers were recorded with a towering six over cow corner, and his 82-run partnership with Addison was the club’s biggest ever so far for the ninth wicket in the Premier tier.
Addison told the Gazette how strong the atmosphere was at Glover on Saturday, with a number of other Panthers players from the lower grades watching on after the first day’s play of their own games was brought to an end with the rain.
“Still, you could hear a pin drop when we were 6/80!” Addison said with a laugh.
But, on a serious note, Addison, Wylie, and their team mates know just how much hard work is still ahead of them this week as they look to defend their hard-earned total.
“Merinda Park is sort of in the same boat as us – they’re working out how they’re playing too, and how to play together,” Addison said.
“We know they’ve still got the likes of (Daniel) McCalman and Armitage to come.
“We’re not resting on our laurels – at Glover 220 (runs) is a par score, so it’s great from where we were at one stage, but we’ll still have to bowl really well to win.”
But the Panthers will go into day two with plenty of confidence, after restricting the Cobras to just 1/28 in the final 19 overs of the first day’s play.
Like the Cobras, the Panthers are still figuring out how to play together as a collective but there was no shortage of positive signs on the weekend.
“One of our biggest problems last year was that guys were perhaps getting picked on past reputation,” Addison acknowledged.
“This year everyone’s there and buying in – Joel has been great at having everyone buy in, and he’s also provided a fresh perspective.
“The whole club is buying in – it’s the freshen up the club needed.
“As far as the coaching (appointment) is concerned – it couldn’t have gone better.”
Meanwhile, Cardinia and Pakenham will have this weekend off having completed their Round 4 clash on Saturday and Sunday.
Batting first after being sent in, the Lions put on 76 for the first wicket courtesy of a strong stand between Jack Anning (32) and Ben Maroney (43) that set the tone for the rest of the innings.
Lions player-coach Rob Elston said the pair batted with great poise, adding “they put the bad ball away, but also great emphasis on maintaining their wicket which was important with this being the first two-day game”.
But the spin of Travis Wheller, when introduced, started to change the momentum of the game – removing both openers trapped in front LBW.
“This continued prior to, and after, the tea break with Cardinia bowling really well and keeping the pressure on, reducing the scoring and making batting difficult with a few close LBW calls along the way,” Elston acknowledged.
“(But) it was great to see the fact that we were able to work through the hard periods and eventually re-establish control of the innings with all batters playing a part in keeping the scoreboard ticking over, including Brad Senior (26) and Jacobus Hynes (19).”
Hynes showed some particularly promising signs during his first extended batting stint in the Premier grade, but – as he so often proves to be – Dale Tormey was the star of the innings with a punishing, albeit not chanceless, innings.
The highlight of his 70-run knock was a booming drive for six that cannoned into the cricket nets.
With some valuable late-innings hitting from skipper Dom Paynter (22), Jason Williams (20 not out), and Elston (15 not out), the Lions amassed 7/264 – an innings that was reduced to 72 overs due to a quirk in the rules.
Effectively, if the Lions lost an additional five minutes to rain on Saturday, they could have still batted until a potential 7pm close – therefore giving them the opportunity to bat out their 80 overs.
Travis Wheller (3/53) and Brayden Browne (2/73) were the multiple wicket-takers for the Bulls.
The Lions, unsurprisingly, went into day two on Sunday full of confidence.
But a blistering start to the home side’s reply by Alex Nooy had them on the back foot early.
Elston said Nooy produced “some unbelievable striking and stroke-making” before he was dismissed in head-scratching circumstances on 46 at 2/69, with the ball somehow coming off his body and clipping the stumps, removing a bail.
“Things could have been a whole lot different if this hadn’t occurred,” Elston said.
From there, despite some encouraging starts – led by 43 in the middle order from BJ Parrott – the Bulls struggled to establish significant, meaningful partnerships – ultimately dismissed for 181 in 65 overs as the rain fell.
Elston acknowledged that, at one stage, the rain looked like halting the Lions’ charge, before they cleaned up the tail.
Jason Williams was the standout with the ball, snaring 4/56 from his 26 overs of spin, while Tormey capped off an outstanding individual game with 3/52 and Jack Ryan snared 2/37.
Elston spoke about how thrilled he was with his side being able to secure the win, particularly after the frustration of the wet weather forcing a draw against Cranbourne Meadows in Round 3.
The Rebels, meanwhile, recovered to post 162 after a horror start to their innings at Denhams Road against the Demons.
Four of their top five recognised batsmen were unable to pass 20, but their cause was helped throughout the innings by a series of uncharacteristic dropped catches by the proven Kooweerup.
Jess Mathers finished with 3/49 from his 29 overs, while Matt Bright (2/27) and Hussain Ali (2/43) snared two wickets apiece from a combined 30 overs.
Pardeep Boyal led the charge with the willow for Cranbourne Meadows – unbeaten on 35.
In the final game of the round at Clyde, Tooradin recovered from a shaky 4/51 to record a commanding 257 on the first day’s play against the Cougars.
Normally, losing the likes of Russ Lehman (20), skipper Cal O’Hare (18), and Matt Cox (2) to low scores would hardly bode well for the Seagulls.
But their impressive middle-order depth was showcased on Saturday, led by Josh Lownds with a competition-leading knock, and 33 and 32 from Neil Peake and Andrew Proctor respectively.
Lownds fell agonisingly close of a richly-deserved ton – trapped leg-before by Matt Aslett for 99, while his younger brother Bailey (20) and Ash Adams (16 not out) provided some valuable lower-order runs.
The Gulls had no answer for Pat Lawson early, who finished with the wickets of Lehman, O’Hare, and the big-hitting Cox with his 3/53, while Aslett led the charge with 4/70 and Liam Bennett snared 2/43.
