Premier Cricket: Damon Egan’s ‘phenomenal’ catch lifts Prahran to crucial win over Dandenong

A stunning running catch on the boundary from Damon Egan helped the Trues Blues hold on in a thrilling encounter at Toorak Park.

Prahran opener Nick Blaich plays a cut shot. Picture: Stuart Milligan

What do they say about catches?

Of course they win matches, and Damon Egan’s spectacular grab for Prahran on Saturday helped his team achieve a vital victory over Dandenong at Toorak Park.

How good was it?

True Blues assistant coach Justin Graham called it “phenomenal’’ and “season-defining’’.

What a time for Egan to take it.

Dandy were chasing 5-271 and were 5-261 at the end of the 49th over, with clean-hitting left-hander Sam Newell Prahran’s biggest threat.

Nick Boland had the ball and he’d been hit around.

The final over began with a single, a dot and a wide.

Then Newell swiped the ball towards long on. It was going to be a four. But Egan, running to his right at full hammer, dived and with both feet off the ground brought in a classic catch in the outfield.

His celebration was almost as good, sprinting away like a man whose pants were on fire.

Newell had to go for 22 off 18 balls, and Prahran held on, restricting the Panthers to four runs off the final over to claim a six-run win.

Dandenong leg-spinner Gehan Seneviratne tosses one up against Prahran. Picture: Stuart Milligan

It put the True Blues 10th on the ladder, three points away from eighth-placed Fitzroy-Doncaster.

But there are some stern tests to come in the next four matches in the form of Melbourne, Carlton, Geelong and St Kilda.

Egan’s contribution went further than the thrilling catch. The right-hander top scored with 68 off 70 balls, hitting 8 fours and 2 sixes.

Captain Jake Hancock crafted 64 off 84 and big Will Sutherland spanked 43 not out 35 balls.

Opener Nick Blaich (37) and James Billington (38) had built a strong base for the innings with a partnership of 80.

Dandenong would have been long odds to chase it down.

But the Panthers gave it a mighty shake after shaking up their order.

It helped that club great Tom Donnell came good after a lean run, striking 79 off 87 balls.

Matt Wilson (62 off 93) was promoted to No 3 and with Donnell put on 117.

Cam Forsyth (35 off 37), Gehan Seneviratne (27 off 21) and Newell kept the runs coming, but in the end there weren’t quite enough.

It was a slow start to the season for Prahran and for a week or two rumours swirled the competition that all wasn’t well at Toorak Park.

But Graham said the True Blues were “building nicely’’and “our good players are stepping up and getting it done’’.

“Still a lot of improvement to come as well but we are back playing a brand of cricket we are proud of … a tough draw ahead, which is super exciting for the club to test themselves against the best players and teams in the comp,’’ Graham said.

He said of the approaching block of games: “To be honest we’re more concerned about playing our brand and if we do that the results will be close on the day.

“The comp is so tight with so many good teams. We go out, play our way and see where it can take us.’’