By David Nagel
Pakenham skipper Dale Tormey isn’t one to drop names – but a chat to a Test cricketer last week helped the Lions’ leader regain his touch for the big game against Kooweerup on Saturday.
Tormey, who has been quiet by his own lofty standards, returned to form with a stylish 55 not out to lead the Lions to victory over the Demons.
“It was good for me but it’s always team first, and maybe chasing a score like that (159) allowed me to bat time and settle in for the long haul,” Tormey said.
“I spoke to someone during the week – you can’t play any higher than he’s played – and we had a really good chat about the game.
“He put me in the right headspace where batting becomes easier the longer you are out there.”
Tormey, one of the most decorated players to have played in the WGCA – with almost 11,000 runs at an average of 41.31 – has no reason to doubt his talents.
“I’ve got no doubt in my ability, I know what I’m capable of, but it’s been great that we’ve won seven on the trot without some of us being at our best each week,” he said.
“It’s not just about one person for us.
“Smithy (Chris Smith) has obviously been the standout player this season but every week it’s someone else stepping up or taking on a different role…that side of things has been really good.”
One of those players to step up has been veteran keeper-batter Rob Elston, who dug deep to keep the Lions alive when the wheels were rattling in the early part of the season.
Tormey rates Elston highly, as a clubman and a batter.
“Rob just does what Rob does, you can’t put it any other way,” Tormey explained.
“He’s the ultimate clubman, he just wants to win, and he’ll bat anywhere we ask him to bat to make it happen.
“Some of the shots he played on Saturday were from the top shelf and the ball raced to the boundary, they weren’t stopping.”
Elston was in sublime touch, with his 42 interspersed with some lovely on-drives, along the carpet, through the leg side.
Tormey has also been impressed with this side’s depth, which was questioned somewhat after the Lions’ early season loss to reigning-premiers Cardinia.
Comments from a journalist, and an opposition captain, have stuck with some players throughout.
“There were a few comments made after our first loss against Cardinia, from you and Jake (Prosser) I think, that their depth was stronger than ours, and that might have hurt a couple of guys and they’re out to prove that wrong,” he said.
“Our depth is something that we’ve really been trying to improve on and it’s showing in our results.”
Tormey said the improved depth was the result of some of his younger players stepping up to the plate this year.
“The kids have really come along,” Tormey said.
“Tommy Brennan has taken the new ball every week, he’s got wickets every week, and he’s bowling at the top against the best batters around.
“Every wicket he gets is of high quality, and James Close has also come on in leaps and bounds, considering he’s only been playing for a few years.”
Pakenham, currently sitting third, has a tough run home with Tooradin, Cardinia and Merinda Park on the horizon.
Tormey said the challenge of taking on Tooradin this week, the new ladder leaders, was something his team was looking forward to.
“It’s massive, every game at the moment is like a final and we actually looked at the fixture at the start of the year and thought there’s no better way of entering finals than playing the other best teams in the competition,” he said.
“This is no disrespect, but you don’t want to be playing teams that have little to play for and just cruise into finals, you want to play teams like Tooradin because they’re going to be up and about and fighting for it this week because they want top spot and a home final.
“Cal’s obviously in good form, he got a hundred on the weekend, but we’re up for it, with Smithy back, it’s a great test, and we’ll want to put on a good show for the large crowd that will be there for Pink Ladies Day.
“It will be a good game, played at a good standard, and we can’t wait to test ourselves against another good team in the competition.”
The match between the Lions and Seagulls commences at 1pm this Saturday on the main oval at Pakenham’s home ground at Toomuc Reserve.
For all of this week’s WGCA Premier Division reviews…turn to page 50 in SPORT.
