By Jonty Ralphsmith
The issue of Dandenong West’s perennially misfiring batting lineup has reared its head in the last game of two-day cricket before finals kicks off.
Chasing 228 for victory from 90 overs at a typically quick Casey Fields, the Bulls were bowled all out for just 56 by Cranbourne.
Sent into bat for 10 overs late on day one, leading run scorer Shaun Weir was dismissed by a Jakeb Thomas ‘rip-snorter’ that caught the shoulder of the bat.
Night-watcher Adam Reid followed him back to the pavilion before stumps, but it was the following day where it became ugly.
Matt Collett didn’t trouble the scorers which put a premium on the runs that skipper Anthony Brannan scored.
Brannan remained stoic while Thomas ripped through the batting order at the other end.
The right arm quick got vice-captain Riley Siwes caught and bowled, went straight through former internationals Nuwan Kulasekara and Malinga Bandara and struck Bailey Howarth on the pads.
Thomas finished with 7/19 off 17 in a masterful and tireless display.
That quartet contributed eight runs between them, while Brannan tried his best to establish partnerships.
Leggie Jamie Love got the last wicket, Dandy West limping from 8/29 to 56 all out in a disappointing display.
Dandy West was able to avoid an outright despite being 171 runs behind with plenty of time remaining in the day when forced to bat again.
But given it was usual suspects Weir and Brannan who staved off the Eagles bowling attack, the grit of the second innings would hardly have raised confidence.
Outside of that pair, it has been slim pickings for Dandy West this season.
Bandara bobbed up for a cameo last game, Nathan Power continues to be backed and looks to have a solid defence but has yet to pass 10 this season, Howarth has struggled and Collett has a few starts but nothing to write home about.
Kulasekara is the only other player to have a half-century this season, but that 71 against bottom-placed Keysborough makes up more than half his runs tally for the season.
That Dandenong West was chasing such a high score was demoralising in itself, given Cranbourne was 7/101, before Harsaroup Singh put on 61 with Tim Fathers who occupied the crease sensationally.
When Kulasekara went through the star batter, Fathers, who finished unbeaten on 49, continued resisting, firstly alongside Marty Kelly and then skipper and number 11 Clint Ayres, who did well to only play at balls he needed to.
To go with his stunning bowling figures, Thomas also made a handy 31 justifying his promotion to number three, with Cranbourne’s spread of contributors belying their reputation of being overly reliant on too few – and in stark contrast to their more lauded opponents.
Elsewhere, Parkmore overcame Narre Warren, Mackenzie Gardner led HSD to victory over Lyndale and in Turf 3, Doveton North reverse-outrighted Silverton, Fountain Gate was too good for Lynbrook and Coomoora and Berwick Springs both recorded outright wins.
