Premier Cricket: Dandenong’s Dhanusha Gamage speaks on his dream start

Dandenong newcomer Dhanusha Gamage has spoken about his back-to-back Premier Cricket centuries and how even imagining the streak a month ago would’ve been “out of his mind”.

Dhanusha Gamage started the season wanting to make hundreds.

He didn’t care what grade they came in, he just wanted to reach three figures as many times as he could.

The 20-year-old hadn’t recorded a Premier Cricket ton at any level a month ago but his first two trips to the crease in Dandenong’s First XI have netted two unbeaten centuries.

Gamage’s debut century, 124 not out from 228 balls, came against Prahran and his second, 117 not out from 192 balls, against Kingston Hawthorn.

He’s 241 runs into his First XI career and is yet to be dismissed.

It’s a script Gamage said he would’ve been “out of his mind” thinking about before the season.

“Coming into the season, my expectation was to try and make as many runs as possible and try to get as many hundreds as I could,” he said.

“I didn’t put a limit to how many hundreds, or where I would play, my goal was always to make as many runs and hundreds as I could.

“I would never think I would be able to score two centuries in two innings, I am pretty stoked about it, it’s even cool to just think about.

“With this start, hopefully I can continue the momentum.”

Gamage raises his bat. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Gamage watches it closely. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Gamage (left) and Brett Forsyth. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Gamage’s purple patch is contagious, with Brett Forsyth (113 vs Prahran) and Josh Slater (131 vs Kingston Hawthorn) joining him in each of his triple-figure scores.

He said his unbeaten 237-run stand with Forsyth against the True Blues allowed him to back his defence-first style over the course of a long day.

“Watching Brett bat in that first innings, I think that was really crucial, it helped me understand how to build an innings,” he said.

“The second time Brett got out a little bit earlier, but my experience with him in the first innings gave me the knowledge that you can catch up and the runs will come – you’ll get the rewards if you push through.

“Knowing I did it in the last innings, and seeing Brett do that, it definitely gave me a level of understanding and confidence that I can trust myself to do it.”

Two innings in and the No.3 spot looks like Gamage’s for the foreseeable future.

He admits first drop was at first a bit foreign to him but after his start, the position has won him over.

“I am really happy with three, I have been an opener most of my career but I am liking three now,” he joked.