By Tyler Lewis and Nick Creely
After another win on Wednesday 7 November, Dandenong sit in second place on the Victorian Super Slam Stars Conference ladder, priming for a promising title defence.
Winning the toss and electing to bat against St Kilda at Shepley Oval, the Panthers got off to a blistering start.
Uncommonly Brett Forsyth was the aggressor in his opening stand of 56 with James Nanopoulos, with the usual accumulator torching the outfield with some mesmeric drives on his way to a 28-ball 37.
When Nanopoulos went for 13, Forsyth shortly followed as Tom Donnell and Comrey Edgeworth were left to recollect the innings at the conclusion of a fiery power play.
St Kilda snared the big wicket of Donnell and then sent West Indian marquee Jerome Jones back in the very next ball.
Losing 4/26, Lachlan MacCorquodale and Edgeworth noodled the ball around before they both departed in succession.
After finishing the power play 0/55, the Panthers posted a modest 7/124 after 20, but with a powerful bowling attack and a notorious history of defending low totals in the Super Slam competition, Dandenong weren’t out of it at the innings break.
Randiv laid the perfect foundation, removing Saints skipper Josh Manning without troubling the scorers.
Moving along ahead of the run rate and skipping away from the shaky start, Tom Donnell turned to his experienced bowlers in Peter Cassidy and James Nanopoulos and the pair didn’t disappoint.
Straight away Nanopoulos struck, claiming 2/2 in his first over.
Cassidy wasn’t far behind to claim his first wicket as the pair strangled the Saints, combining for four ovens, only leaking nine runs and sending three batsmen to the pavilion.
St Kilda delivered Dandenong a minor counterattack before Cassidy returned a major blow, claiming his second to finish his incredible four over spell with the 2/15 including 14 dot balls.
Not only did the tight paceman claim vital wickets, his spell increased the run rate well over a run a ball which proved match defining.
During the 15th over, the game was called due to poor light – handing the Panthers their second win of the Super Slam tournament.
Dandenong have a bye in the upcoming fixture before hosting Prahran at Shepley Oval on Wednesday 4 December. A win would almost secure a finals berth.
Down at Central Reserve, Casey-South Melbourne took on the Monash Tigers on a windy evening that always had a tinge of rain looming.
But despite showing glimpses of their best cricket, the Swans are still without a win in the second edition of the Super Slam.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Tigers lost youngster Zac Sleeman early with spearhead Nathan Lambden (2/13) rattling the stumps, but the home side consolidated to set up a steady power play period.
While exciting talent Kyle Viccars (45) showed some poise with the blade, the Swans managed to hold the home side from mounting a big total, with consistent wickets in the middle period restricting them to 7/132 off their 20 overs.
With Lambden continuing his strong form by snaring two wickets – one that included the quick snapping a stump with a searing delivery – fellow seamers James Maxwell (3/26) and Josh Dowling (1/20), as well as skipper and spinner Luke Wells (1/31) also worked well in tandem to set up a gettable total.
But as the light faded – and quite rapidly – the chase was anything but a breeze.
The Swans lost aggressive opener Joel Mitchell early, before a decisive, game-changing spell from young offie Reiley Mark (2/8) – a Berwick product – saw Luke Wells and vice-captain Nathan Freitag removed in the same over.
At 3/21, Aaron Fernando and the experienced Michael Wallace went to work, firstly consolidating before Wallace in particular began to accelerate.
But in near darkness and both sides struggling to see, let alone play a game of cricket, Wallace’s brilliant and unbeaten 61 was not enough, with the Swans finishing on 5/123 after a few late boundaries to Dylan Hadfield (17).
Mark, a product of the Berwick Cricket Club, is one to keep an eye on, finishing with 2/8 off four overs as he continues to build a reputation as one of the most talented spinners in the state.
Much like close-rival Dandenong, the Swans will have a bye in the next round before taking on Frankston Peninsula at Casey Fields on 4 December.
