Premier Cricket 2018-19: Brett Forsyth hits 168 not out as Dandenong chases down Footscray’s 9-350
Champion Dandenong opener Brett Forsyth is on course for a 1000-run campaign after hitting his third century of the season in Victorian Premier Cricket.
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At 6.01pm on Saturday Brett Forsyth eased on to the back foot and cut the ball to the boundary.
The shot, sumptuously timed and placed, took him to 168 and Dandenong to a stirring run-chase victory over Footscray at Shepley Oval.
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A minute later the right-hander walked off to hearty applause from teammates and club officials who had gathered at the gates under the grandstand.
They’ve been clapping him a lot lately.
Forsyth’s third century of the season was his 16th in Premier Cricket and bumped up his run tally to 942, or 1171 when Super Slam runs are added.
There’s more.
It was his highest score for the club, bettering his 153 against Essendon, and put him within three runs of his captain Tom Donnell’s club-best aggregate of 945, made in 2012-13.
One prolific opener is going to replace another in the record books.
Dandenong was pursuing the Bulldogs’ 9-350 and passed the target five wickets down and with 11 balls to spare.
“It’s right up there,’’ Donnell replied when asked how he rated the century maker’s innings.
In coach Nick Speak’s mind, it was the more commendable for having got through a difficult first hour.
Forsyth faced 279 deliveries and put away 21 boundaries in a 375-minute stay. There were shots all around the wicket, all executed with a craftsman’s care, but two back-foot drives between point and cover had the great Brendan McArdle smiling on the balcony of the social club.
Forsyth had partnerships of 69 with Donnell (35), 56 with his brother Cam (31), 70 with LJ Edwards (27) and 124 with James Pattinson (68).
Pattinson went in early in the final session after Edwards, trying to drive, edged a catch behind.
On 26 Pattinson pulled a ball to the mid-wicket boundary, where Hamish Winter-Irving took the catch. But he quickly indicated he had put a foot over the boundary as he did so.
The left-hander carried on, scoring his runs briskly — he faced 67 balls and hit 11 fours and 1 six — and allowing Forsyth to continue on his unhurried way.
The opener had survived a trenchant LBW appeal in the last over before tea, going in to the break on 99.
He raised his century with a single; he was raising his bat again 90 minutes later for 150. Milestones have met him often this season and another will come to him in the final round if he can score 58 against Kingston Hawthorn and pass 1000 runs for the season. St Kilda champion Graeme Rummans was the last batsman to top four figures, 10 years ago.
A few lusty blows from 200-gamer James Nanopolous (21) finished off the Dogs, who took an all-or-nothing approach with the second new-ball, keeping the field up and the boundary largely unprotected.
The win was Dandenong’s third on the hop and pushed it up to fifth on the ladder ahead of the final round.
The Panthers had another big century next door on Wilson Oval, with Lachlan MacCorquodale blitzing 184 as Dandy answered 342 with 4-344.
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