Premier Cricket 2019-20: James Nanopoulos assumes Dandenong bowling record

The 31-year-old joined the Panthers as a batting all-rounder but he’s now the club’s leading wickettaker after passing Roger Gill’s record of 313.

A clip from David King to mid-wicket, a simple catch to Comrey Edgeworth and a wicket to James Nanopoulos.

It was a significant scalp for the Dandenong all-rounder, and not only because he removed Ringwood champion King for four.

It was the wicket that confirmed him as the club’s most successful bowler in Victorian Premier Cricket.

Nanopoulos moved past Roger Gill’s mark of 313 as the Panthers gained an important victory over the Rams at Shepley Oval on Saturday.

The 31-year-old admitted he was “a bit nervous’’ on Saturday morning as he contemplated the record.

“Once I had the ball in my hand I was all right,’’ he said.

“But when I got to my fifth over someone over the fence was like, ‘Are you going to get a wicket?’ Then I started thinking about it again.

“Luckily I got a wicket that over. All good once it happened.’’

He noted King had been one of the most prolific batsmen in Premier Cricket in the past 15 years and it was a bonus to dismiss him with “pretty much a regulation ball that he hit straight to mid-wicket’’.

“It was nothing special but I’ll take it,’’ he said. “You take them any way they come.’’

James Nanopoulos has more than 4000 runs to go with his 300-plus wickets for Dandenong.

He finished with 2-13 off six overs as the Panthers, protecting 196 in the one-dayer, dismissed the visitors for 103.

The right-arm medium pacer is now up to 32 wickets for the season.

Nanopoulos arrived at Dandenong 15 years ago as a batting all-rounder but pursued his bowling more as he fought for a regular First XI position.

Look at him now: more than 4000 runs and 300 wickets, numbers that mark him out as an exceptional cricketer, according to club great Brendan McArdle.

“He’s a fantastic player – Cameron White reckons he’s the best of his type that he’s seen in Premier Cricket, and that’s not a bad rap,’’ he said.

“‘Nano’, Tom Donnell, Brett Forsyth and Darren Pattinson, they’re the reason the club has been so successful for so long.’’

McArdle went to teachers’ college with Gill, a left-arm medium pacer.

“Roger was a good player, a good bowler at Central Reserve (Gill played at Dandy’s antecedent, Waverley), a good bowler full stop, good enough to transition from Sub-District to District cricket,’’ he said.

“He took a lot of wickets. ‘Nano’s’ taken a couple more now.’’

Donnell said his long-time teammate had prospered through “a lot of hard work really’’.

“No surprise he’s come to this (the record) when you see how he goes about it at training,’’ he said.

“Don’t forget he opened the batting in the year of our first flag (2006-07) and bowled pretty sparingly, just because of the quality of our attack. He always had a lot of skill with the ball, and he’s got a lot quicker with his pace in the past five years, which has been important to him when the wickets are a little bit flatter. He’s learned off ‘Bora’ (Paul Boraston), ‘Patto’ (Pattinson) and those guys, taken in everything they’ve fed him.’’

Tom Donnell drives down the ground during his half-century against Ringwood on Saturday.

Donnell contributed Dandenong’s highest score – 51, off 71 balls, with 7 fours and 1 six – against Ringwood as the Panthers came in with less than 200 when at one stage the skipper thought they were good for at least 220.

At 4-169 they lost 3-0.

“We lost our way a bit on a wicket that was a little bit difficult, a bit slow … the quicker the bowling, the easier it was for the batsmen to score,’’ Donnell said.

But 196 turned out to be ample.

Medium pacer Peter Cassidy (2-12 off six overs) claimed the key wicket of Ian Holland (caught behind for 31) to reduce the Rams to 5-51.

Dandenong was again missing leading batsman LJ Edwards (thumb).