Premier Cricket: Jon Holland and Vish Bansal help Frankston Peninsula to victory

Frankston Peninsula didn’t have Scott Boland but the Heat’s other Test man produced a match-winning spell on Saturday.

Jon Holland was a welcome addition to Frankston Peninsula’s side on Saturday. Picture: Michael Dodge

It was hot, damn hot…and at Frankston Peninsula on Saturday night, it was declared a day of “Searing Heat” after all four sides won.

And there were some sizzling performances in the Heat’s First XI, which dispatched Greenvale Kangaroos at Butler Oval to remain in finals contention.

Australian four-game Test spinner Jon Holland made a triumphant return to Frankston from the Melbourne Renegades bubble to take 4-20 off 10 overs to help shoot out Greenvale for 152.

Heat coach Paul Boraston said Holland looked “a class above” on the new, spin-friendly Jubilee Park pitch.

“He looked like getting a wicket nearly every ball,” Boraston said.

“The pitch was turning and he looked really good.

“It was good to have him.”

Heat skipper James Nanopoulos (3-36), Brodie Symons (1-26) and Liam Cox (1-17) also impressed, while gloveman Jacques Augustin snared a catch, a run out and a stumping in a typically neat and tidy display.

Vish Bansal batting for Frankston Peninsula. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Frankston Peninsula’s run chase went from steady to explosive as big-hitting opener Vish Bansal went on the attack.

He clubbed 8 sixes and 5 fours in an eye-popping innings of 86 off 67 balls as the Heat, 4-153, achieved victory in the 27th over.

Symons chimed in with 40 not out off 49 balls.

Boraston said Bansal’s blast was “probably even better” than his century against Fitzroy Doncaster back in Round 3.

“I think he was 1 off 13 (balls) at the start,” he said.

“He just got himself in. His first two or three boundaries were just proper straight drives.

“And then once he was in he pinpointed his areas and took their spinners on and took the game away from them pretty quickly.

“He hit eight sixes. When he’s on like that he’s hard to stop.”

Heat captain James Nanopoulos. Picture: George Sal

Frankston Peninsula, with three wins, is in 14th spot but is only six points behind eighth-placed Ringwood.

“With seven games to go we are definitely in contention,” Boraston said.

Boraston said Holland’s availability for Frankston was a “game by game situation’’, as he could have state duties.

Ashes hero Scott Boland is having a break and won’t be available for the Heat.

As for the clean sweep of wins on Saturday — known as “a day of Searing Heat” — Boraston believes it should happen more regularly, given the club’s depth of talent.

“People around the club reckon in the 28 years we’ve been going it’s only happened a handful of times which I was surprised by,” Boraston said.

“We want that to become more of the norm.

“It pushes us up the club championship, we’re in the top 10 now.

“There’s some good depth at the club, we’ve got some boys in the lower grades making runs and taking wickets and putting pressure on the players above.

“That’s what we want, good depth and strength to help everyone improve.

“Things are coming along nicely.”

In the seconds, Kiefer Peries (63) and Nick Taranto (49) continued their good form. Taranto has scored 362 runs this season.

Lachlan Walsh cracked 60 and Liam Walsh took 3-21 as the Heat’s thirds remained undefeated.

Brodie Matthews snared 4-14 in the fourths, and Sean Van Wijk peeled off an unbeaten 58.