Jack Craig bats Melbourne to ‘unbelievable’ win over Dandenong
Albury Wodonga recruit Jack Craig starred as the Demons tossed the Panthers to claim the Warren Ayres Cup.
Inner South
Don't miss out on the headlines from Inner South. Followed categories will be added to My News.
What an innings from recruit Jack Craig.
What a win for Melbourne.
“Unbelievable. Remarkable. I still can’t believe it,’’ new Demons coach Ben Vague said on Sunday after his team’s gripping victory over Dandenong in the Round 2 Premier match at Beaumaris Secondary College on Saturday.
The Demons, chasing 9-214, were 7-128 when rain and wind hit the ground mid-afternoon.
When play resumed they were left with a revised target of 202 – or 66 off seven overs.
And they made it, taking hold of the Warren Ayres Cup that the clubs contest.
Ayres, of course, is coaching the Panthers this season and it must have pained him to present the spoils to his old club after Dandenong’s position looked so secure.
Craig, recruited from Cricket Albury Wodonga, spanked 49 off 53 balls, with 5 fours and 1 six, and with Kieran Elliott (25no off 19) pushed Melbourne to an unlikely victory.
Craig was out with the revised scores tied, bringing No 11 Kyle Williamson to the creases with four balls remaining. He hit the first delivery to mid-wicket and took off. A throw at the stumps missed and the Demons had their winning run.
“We were in a lot of trouble right through,’’ Vague said.
“We knew that 25 overs constituted a game and we had to be 4-107 after 25. We saw the rain was coming but we were never where we needed to be. We lost two quicks in the over before the rain came. We were seven down. We were well behind the eight-ball. And then to come out and win … I just couldn’t believe we got there. We got out of jail, big time.’’
He said Craig absorbed the pressure – “He was calm, relaxed, he knew what he had to do’’ – to play an outstanding innings.
Vague called him a “serious player’’.
“We actually need to get more cricketers from the country playing Premier Cricket,’’ he said.
“Those mature-age cricketers, we need to get them into the system, because there are some gold nuggets out there. He’s a ready-made cricketer.’’
It was a tough loss for the Panthers, particularly with their captain and champion opening batsman Tom Donnell playing his 250th match in Premier Cricket.
The left-hander hit 51 off 78 deliveries – his 46th half-century to stand with 12 centuries – and shared an 83-run opening partnership with LJ Edwards, whose 36 came off 60 balls and included a six over mid-off.
Dandenong suffered a heavy blow when No 4 Ed Newman was run out without facing a ball after a mix-up with Brett Forsyth, who was bowled by off-spinner Craig for 17.
But new wicketkeeper-batsman Aaron Fernando contributed 44 off 62 balls (1 four, 2 sixes) and Comrey Edgeworth coolly and cleverly nudged the ball around for 39 not out off 47 deliveries (2 fours) to take the Panthers past 200.
Melbourne did not use Jack Prestwidge in its attack – he’d been bowling during the week for the Melbourne Renegades – but he batted at No 5 in a powerful order.
Meyrick Buchanan’s 38 was the best score in the top six, and the Demons had to reply on their last few to prevail in a pulsating finish.
Jake Thomas (4-50), James Nanopoulos (3-38) and spinner Suraj Randiv (2-25) shared the Melbourne wickets, with Thomas knocking over Seb Gotch (9) with a cracker.
New signings, new code: Jets take off in ‘huge’ off-season
Black Rock has signed a quartet of recruits, headlined by a goal kicking machine, and added a new spin to its growing sporting program.
Local footy rumour mill: The race for ex-AFL big man
An ex-AFL man mountain appears to be the most in-demand name in the game as the local footy trading season swings into overdrive. Here are all the latest whispers from around the leagues.