By David Nagel
Perennial powerhouse Pakenham (5/165) is finally on the board – just one game outside the top-four – after the classy Jason Williams (66 not out) guided the Lions to a five-wicket win over a plucky Clyde (9/164) at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday.
Williams, back to his best after a poor run of form last season, steadied the ship after the ailing Lions looked cast in the early stages of their run chase.
Liam Bennett (2/31) trapped Jack Anning (2) in front, and when skipper Matt Aslett (2/15) disrupted the poles of the dangerous Chris Smith (10) the Lions were in all sorts of trouble at 2/23.
For a team that had not won a game in 2021…belief would not have been at a high!
But Williams and Rob Elston (36) called on years of collective experience to get the Lions back on track with a 31-run partnership dominated by Elston.
Daniel Lever (1/34) made the breakthrough – removing Elston – but not before the veteran keeper had crunched five boundaries to show his teammates that anything was possible.
Williams then blossomed, buckling into the driver’s seat in a 79-run stand with Troy McDermott (28)…the most important partnership of the Lions’ season!
Lose one of these two early – and the Lions would likely be zero-and-four right now – three games behind the Cougars and kissing their season’s hopes goodbye.
But Williams – a Pakenham stalwart – dug deep, smacking six balls to the boundary, and one over the ropes, as he and McDermott kept pace with the required rate.
McDermott then fell, bowled by Aslett, with the Lions still 32 shy of victory.
Steve Insall (0) came and went in a hurry, before the hard-hitting Sean Gramc (16 not out) joined his long-time mate to steer the Lions home to a nail-biting win for their supporters.
Clyde had the upper hand in the early part of this contest, with Suchin Herath (53) and Joel Avard (42) putting on a 96-run stand for the third wicket.
The Cougars were roaring loudest at 2/109 before Pat Lawson (4/23) – playing against his old team – and Smith (3/44) would share the next six wickets to fall to bring an even feel to the game at the half-way mark.
Kane Avard (24) also contributed to the Cougars cause, while Lion youngster Tom Brennan (1/19 off 6) bowled tightly in another impressive display.
But the day belonged to Williams, McDermott, Elston and Gramc – in that particular order – in a run-chase that could have serious ramifications when we line up the best four teams in mid-March next year!
The Lions face a dangerous trip to an unpredictable Cranbourne Meadows this week, while Clyde will hope to rebound at home against Merinda Park in a crunch-game for both clubs.
The battle for fourth place is really heating up.
