Premier Cricket: Hamish Burrill steers Camberwell Magpies to victory over Dandenong

Camberwell Magpies hit out hard in the final overs to run down a new-look Dandenong on the first day of the season.

Dandenong fielded four new faces against Camberwell Magpies.

The 47th over.

That’s where it turned for Camberwell Magpies and against Dandenong in the season-starting Premier Cricket match at Shepley Oval on Saturday.

Chasing 7-189, the Magpies were 7-158 and the game was on a bat’s edge with four overs remaining.

Then fortunes went surging the Magpies’ way after they hit 14 off the 47th over, highlighted by Andrew Fekete’s soaring six over mid-wicket.

Victory came in the 49th over after two boundaries from No 4 Hamish Burrill, who walked off unbeaten on 55, from 85 balls and with 4 fours.

He and the experienced Fekete (13no off 10) had added 38 as the Pies answered with 7-190.

Both teams had periods when they could contemplate victory.

“It was a game of ups and downs. Both sides probably thought they were on top at different stages. It was a bit of a seesaw,’’ new Dandenong captain Brett Forsyth said.

“They needed something like 32 off 24 and then with Fekete’s six 14 came off that over. It was smart by them. They took it as deep as they could with only the three wickets left and then they needed only one or two big blows to open the game up.

“It was tough in the end, but it was a good game of cricket. Credit to Camberwell. They deserved to win in the end.’’

The Magpies made a breezy start to the run chase through their new skipper, Ben Rowles (36), and Rishab Guddadamane (24), who put on 58 for the first wicket.

Both fell to new Panther Matt Wilson, and from there Dandenong took enough wickets to stay in contention.

Leg-spinner Gehan Seneviratne was outstanding with 1-22 off 10 overs, and Dandy thought they had Burrill stumped off the slow bowler.

Magpies captain Ben Rowles.

He controlled the chase for the visitors, opening up in the late overs.

Magpies recruit Ben Shields added a handy 22.

Dandenong had also made a good start to its innings, reaching 2-96, only to be dragged back. Former captain Tommy Donnell hit 40 and recruit Sam Newell clipped 49 off 70 balls (and also kept well).

Dandenong had four players representing the First XI for the first time: Wilson (signed from Carlton), Newell (from Kingston Hawthorn) and youngsters Aryaman Bhardwa (Northcote) and 17-year-old Josh Sawley (a product of Berwick Springs).

Wilson took 3-45 off 9.4 overs and Sawley bowled his medium pace accurately, finishing with 1-30 off eight.

Bhardwa opened the bowling and was a little wayward, but no doubt his nerves were jangling.

Forsyth said Seneviratne’s bowling was a bright spot.

“He bowled extremely well,’’ he said.

“He was the pick of the bowlers. We’re certainly excited about his skill-set and what he brings to the team. We think he’s a good leg-spinner and he’s really positive and handy with the bat. He’s ready to go at this level.’’

Rowles tipped praise on Burrill, who, after a lot of cricket in the lower grades, made his First XI debut last season and wound up winning the batting average.

“He absorbed the pressure early and stabilised the innings for us and then saw us home,’’ he said.

“It was a really mature and impressive knock from Hamish, that’s for sure.

“I guess he’s come into the ones as a ready-made player.’’

Aside from Shields, who came over from New Zealand, the Magpies handed a First XI debut to 18-year-old fast bowler Tom Nelson, who picked up 1-32 off his six overs.

The Magpies went in with two other 18-year-olds, Ollie Jenkins and Liam Fitzpatrick, as well as 17-year-old Will Townsend.