By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandy West is the team to beat.
If there was a colonel of doubt about the premiership favourites heading into the tailend of the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 3 season, it was removed with a plucky win on Saturday.
Missing captain and middle-order bat Anthony Brannan, the hosts put forth an underwhelming batting performance, and at 9/114 it looked like second-placed Coomoora would make the statement.
Seam-up options Tim Wighton, Matthew Suppree and Dean Krelle had all bowled well upfront, not allowing the Dandy West openers to target the short straight boundaries.
After three early wickets, Thishura Madanayaka consolidated with Nuwan Kulasekara, before looking to inject some life into the innings after drinks.
But Kulsekara’s dismissal sparked a collapse of 6/24 against a team Brannan conceded in the lead-up to the match was probably the most dominant batting side in the competition.
It was medium-pacer Michael Klonaridis who was taking the wickets, finishing with four, but Malinga Bandara ensured his team batted out the overs.
Taking the lead role in a 10th wicket partnership with Shiraz Qudrat, he hit a boundary an over to reach 49 off 44 and lift Dandy West to 9/165.
Coomoora’s openers were both dismissed cheaply, but the third-wicket partnership between Krelle and Lance Baptist appeared as though it would set up the game for them.
It was the sort of hitting which vindicated Brannan’s endorsement of the Roos batting, but Krelle’s dismissal brought the innings to a stifling halt.
Suppree was the only lower-order player who was able to offer any resistance, his slow-going 30 a nod to leggie and acting captain Shaun Weir and Bandara’s accurate tweakers.
When Klonaridis was dismissed for three, his team still had half-centurion Baptist at the crease but would need a final-wicket partnership of 20, while compensating multiple Kulesekara overs.
Kulasekara finished with 5/20 off eight, but it was Adam Reid – who had so far been expensive – that had the responsibility in the final over.
Defending 12, he crucially didn’t leak a boundary in a thrilling six-run win.
Meanwhile, across at Fotheringham Reserve, Silverton might just have exposed Nuwan Mendis’ achilles heel.
The Turf 3 leading runscorer was dismissed for just 10 as tweaker Hashin Dillman opened the bowling and set the bowling innings up for the hosts, nabbing 2/11 off eight overs including Springy’s danger man.
Dylan Hayes, Kevin Baldsing, Darshana Edirisinghe and Robert North finished with two apiece before a nervy run-chase to keep a pulse in the hosts’ season.
Mendis and Pasindu Madushan finished with five early wickets between them, Springvale opting for a similar slow bowling strategy as the spinners bowled 16 straight upfront.
When Clinton Gottinger swiped across the line second ball and picked out deep midwicket, Silverton was on the ropes at 5/23 before number eight Varinder Virk settled the nerves with an unbeaten 41.
After being dropped early in his innings, Virk brought a calm to Silverton’s innings, hitting the ball on its merits and picking gaps after seeing his teammates largely find ways to get themselves out.
Berwick Springs upset Fountain Gate by 22 runs to lift off the bottom of the Turf 3 ladder.
A 72-run opening partnership between Jackson Marie and Riley Hillman set the foundations as their team reached 6/165.
Fountain Gate was on the back foot from the get-go when both openers were dismissed for ducks and was never able to recover despite a half-century from Rodni Kumara.
Lynbrook easily accounted for Hampton Park in the other match, with Kanwardeep Singh notching up 48 and Rohith Nag Chapalamadugu making 64 as Lynbrook set the Redbacks 199 for victory.
Despite a 41-run opening partnership, the Redbacks didn’t challenge, bowled out for 103.
The highlights for Hampton Park were skipper and offie James Kellett picking up three wickets and Travis Lacey scoring 40.
