Premier Cricket: Akshat Buch stars as Dandenong holds out Ringwood
LEFT-arm spinner Akshat Buch was the key man with the ball for Dandenong as it prevailed against Ringwood on Saturday in Round 1 of Premier Cricket.
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THEY are immaculate figures.
Ten overs, one maiden, five wickets at a cost of 26 runs.
And they are proof again that Dandenong has a serious spin bowler in Akshat Buch.
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With Darren Pattinson unavailable through injury, a few supporters worried about the Panthers’ pace attack for the Round 1 match against Ringwood on Saturday.
But the left-arm slowies of Buch accounted for half the wickets as Dandy achieved an outstanding win over a worthy opponent at Russell Lucas Oval, Jubilee Park.
Buch bowled 10 overs off the reel and as he did Ringwood’s position went from promising to struggling.
Chasing 5-197, the Rams lost champion opener David King for nine, knocked over by young paceman Jakeb Thomas.
They rebuilt through star Ian Holland and Jackson Freeman, improving to 1-72.
Then Buch made a spectacular intervention, claiming the next five wickets.
He bowled Freeman (17) and Nathan Walsh (2), trapped Holland (66) LBW as he tried a reverse-sweep and had Joe Loorham (0) caught by James Nanopoulos at midwicket for a first-baller.
Loorham’s departure left Ringwood 5-114, which became 6-119 when LJ Edwards caught Ben Hastie (21) at point off Buch.
The bearded 25-year-old, who joined Dandenong last season from Subbies club Yarraville and figured in the premiership team, took warm applause from teammates when he wrapped up his spell.
Ringwood pushed on through Josh Hartill (28no), Pat Ashton (14) and Brendan Walsh (21no) but finished 10 runs shy of its target. Medium pacer Dasun Opanayaka was important with his 0-35 off 10 overs, coming behind the returning James Wilcock (0-40), Thomas (1-42) and Nanopoulos (1-42).
Dandenong had been sent in and battled hard to raise almost 200 after openers Tom Donnell (22) and Brett Forsyth (32) patiently put on 55.
Edwards, pushing for Futures League appearances, was superb with 68 not out from 68 deliveries, hitting nine fours.
James Pattinson contributed 22 and Nanopouolos 23.
Pattinson, on the comeback trail again, played only as a batsman.
It turned out Dandenong didn’t need his fast bowling, not with Buch’s high-five handiwork.
“A good day for us,’’ the tweaker said this morning.
“The wicket was low and slow and suited the slow bowlers. When I got a couple of wickets early on I thought I could open it (Ringwood’s batting) up.’’
Buch said he had thought about saving some of his overs for late in the innings. But the decision to keep bowling paid when he claimed Holland and Loorham in his eight over and Hastie in his ninth.
Buch poured praise on Edwards’s innings.
“He batted brilliantly again. He was on. Took his time at the start but got going when Jimmy (Pattinson) went in he upped the ante. I think we got 120 off the last 20 overs. We were pretty happy with that.’’
Peter Sweeney’s left-arm spin also brought him five wickets — 5-32 — as the Dandenong Second XI (7-216) defeated Ringwood. Paceman Paddy Turner claimed 4-31.
Sweeney (52), Cam Forsyth (51) and Josh Slater (40) led the chase.
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