Premier Cricket: More runs for Wallace as Swans demolish Dandenong
Michael Wallace hit an authoritative 89 as Casey South Melbourne swept aside a Dandenong team with three newcomers.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Five rounds into the season, the list of debutants for Dandenong is almost long enough to field an XI.
Dealing with a Covid issue and injury, the Panthers brought up three more first-gamers in Saturday’s match against regional rival Casey South Melbourne at Shepley Oval.
Wicketkeeper Brodie Eccles replaced Sam Newell behind the stumps, Daud Malik batted in the middle-order and Bhavya Bhatia bowled first change.
Eccles took three catches and looked tidy.
But Dandenong took a 101-run loss to the Swannies, who, asked to bat, batted well to reach 8-258 off their 50 overs.
They then bowled out the home team for 157, with left-armer Jackson Fry quickly removing the Panthers’ biggest threat, their opening combination of Tom Donnell (1) and Brett Forsyth (11).
Casey South Melbourne captain Michael Wallace had batted superbly in Tuesday night’s Victorian Super Slam match against Kingston Hawthorn and he carried that form into Saturday, striking 89 off 93 deliveries.
There were 7 fours and 3 sixes, one of them from a reverse hit.
The tall left-hander looked ticketed for a century, but he edged Matt Wilson to Eccles behind the stumps.
Luke Manders (49 off 52) and Ashley Chandrasinghe (29) had given the Swans a bright start, Manders hitting the ball cleanly to all parts of the field and twice over the fence.
The right-hander came into the side last week, brought in after injuries to Lachie Sperling and Jordan Gilmour, and it’s clear he’s going to put some snap into the CSM starts.
One short of his 50, he hooked at a bouncer from Wilson, getting the ball earlier than expecting and giving Bhatia an easy catch.
Chandrasinghe fell to a beauty from Dandenong leggie Gehan Seneviratne (2-45), who is coming along nicely for the Panthers.
Young No 4 Harry Kannan hit 39 off 55 balls, with Wallace adding 92 for the third peg.
Bhatia gained his first wicket in Premier ranks when he won an LBW shout against Gilmour (2).
Swans coach William “Will’’ Carr was mindful of Dandenong’s inexperienced line-up, but also aware it still had matchwinners in Forsyth and Donnell.
He said Wallace was outstanding again.
“He’s in terrific touch at the moment, ‘Wally’, and we needed him to bat well,’’ Carr said.
“We got sent in on a tricky wicket – there was a bit of movement in it and we would have bowled first if we’d won the toss – and they (Dandenong) weren’t quite able to execute and make the most of it.
“At the same time we didn’t allow them to do it.’’
Carr said Fry was a better bowler than his numbers suggested and set the Swans on their way.
Spinners Luke Shelton and Ruwantha Kellepotha both took two wickets, Cal Dodson grabbed a couple and Nathan Lambden, fiery but frugal, returned 1-23 off his 10 overs.
Casey South Melbourne, sixth on the ladder, hosts second-placed St Kilda next Saturday.
Dandenong, 15th, visits Melbourne University.
Premier Cricket: Men’s and women’s Team of the Week
Young guns lit up Victorian Premier Cricket in men’s and women’s sections. We’ve named our teams of the week. SEE THEM
Magpies double-act sends Blues reeling
A pair of Camberwell Magpies rising stars produced performances some cricketers can only dream of in a Premier Cricket under-18s game where a Carlton opponent almost stole the show.