DDCA: Springvale South No.11 Josh Dowling propelled the Bloods from 9-99 to outright winners

Springvale South No.11 Josh Dowling lifted the Bloods from the brink of defeat to an emphatic outright victory. Captain Cameron Forsyth talks us through the match full of twists.

Josh Dowling. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Springvale South captain Cameron Forsyth said it was “anything but” a one-sided outright victory.

The Dandenong District Turf 1 power took out a thrilling outright win over Dandenong West after a blazing knock from No.11 Josh Dowling spun the game on its head.

The Bloods reduced the Bulls to 10-106 and were coasting at 1-70 in reply before the first of many twists struck.

The Bulls snared 8-29 to leave the Bloods nine down and eight runs short of first innings points.

But Dowling joined fellow quick Nick Boland in the middle and swiftly iced the game with a matchwinning 51 not out from 41 balls.

Dowling and Boland not only surged the Bloods to victory but put on 64 to give their team a 57-run lead.

Forsyth said the Bloods remained quietly confident they could pinch first innings points despite losing 1-0 to start the second day.

“I still had a bit of confidence, Josh has done it once or twice for Springy South, and Casey before that, being in at the end of the innings and getting us over the line,” he said.

Josh Dowling. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“Nick Boland, who was at the other end, has a pretty cool head and is a good batsman so I was confident but most of the boys were quite nervous.”

Once Springvale South took the first innings, Dowling was given a license to free his arms.

And he took to it like a No.3, hitting three fours and four sixes.

“Once we passed them Josh had a bit of a license to move the game forward and he hit the ball really cleanly and just enjoyed batting,” Forsyth said.

“He hasn’t had too many hits over the last few years so I think he enjoyed trying to clear the pickets.

“Ideally we would’ve declared a bit sooner but Josh got to 35 or 40 and he wouldn’t have made too many 50s so we went an over or two longer than we thought.

“We didn’t see what he did with the bat coming so it worked out well, he would’ve been disappointed he didn’t get to score a bit more runs.”

The Bloods declared to keep Dandy West’s attacking top-order eager for a second innings result.

Forsyth knew the Bulls, who now sit 12 points outside the four, would try and wrestle the game back early.

“Where they (Dandenong West) are on the ladder, I think regardless of the first innings they were always going to push hard for six points,” he said.

Blade Baxter. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

“From what they said they need to win probably four of their last five to be in the mix for finals and similarly I think the game, even if they won first innings, was going to give a chance to win second innings.

“Our thinking ‘was get those eight runs and then regardless be ready to play a full day of cricket’.

“When we past them that’s what we were thinking, ‘how can we quickly move the game forward in order to try and get second innings points’ and I think part of that was dangle a little bit of a carrot for them to stay in the game as well.”

Boland and Dowling joined forces again in the third innings, combining for 6-30 to help dismiss the Bulls for 94 (37 in front).

It took the Bloods just 10.3 overs and three wickets to reach the seven-wicket second innings win.

Forsyth said while it appeared a sweeping victory, the game wasn’t short of ebbs and flows.

“You can look at the scoreboard and think a second innings win by seven wickets, an outright victory, is a one-sided game but it was definitely anything but,” he said.

“The game had swings and roundabouts and Dandy West competed, we had them on the brink a few times but they kept fighting back into the contest.

“It was a really good game to play in and I think it would have been really good for those watching.

“They had a past players day last Saturday who were pretty vocal but I think they enjoyed the contest. Ultimately it was a good result for us.”

DDCA cricket: Springvale South v Hallam Kalora Park at Alex Nelson Reserve. Hallam bowler Josh Dowling. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The win keeps the Bloods in line for another top-two finish.

Forsyth said they would celebrate the strong win but wouldn’t shy away from the major batting collapse which turned the game.

“I think anytime you get an outright victory, it doesn’t happen very often, you often go for them or are a chance for them,” he said.

“At 1-70 we were probably thinking of an outright but losing 8-29 I think it was, was disappointing as well.

“We enjoy the outright victory and the day couldn’t have gone much better but there’s still a little bit of our game we want to improve on, especially as we look forward to finals.”

Elsewhere Berwick, Buckley Ridges and Hallam Kalora Park all recorded wins.

Turf 1 ladder: Buckley Ridges 48 points, Springvale South 46, Berwick 36, Hallam Kalora Park 36, Dandenong West 24, Beaconsfield 18, Narre South 18, North Dandenong 18.