Camberwell Magpies score sixth win of Premier Cricket season after 17-run victory over Dandenong

Camberwell Magpies leapfrogged Dandenong in the Premier Cricket standings after a 17-run win, scoring their sixth victory of the season and keeping their finals hopes alive.

Simon Hill goes aerial against Dandenong. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Dandenong and Camberwell Magpies started the day in ninth and 10th respectively on the Premier Cricket table.

Come 6.30pm on Saturday, the sides had traded places in the logjam of teams fighting for positions in the lower half of the eight after the Magpies recorded a 17-run win.

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It was Camberwell’s sixth win of the season, leapfrogging the Panthers in the standings and importantly keeping its finals hopes alive.

Game on at Camberwell Sports Ground. @DandenongCC 5-124 in the 33rd chasing @MagpiesCMCC’s 6-238. Magpies coach @brad_loveluck taking a turn in the field with James Rosewarne off injured. James Nanopolous (41) and Jacques Augustin (3) at the crease.

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) January 19, 2019

.@MagpiesCMCC on track for their first @vicpremcricket win of 2019. @DandenongCC 7-154 after 38, needing another 83 for victory. Winner should jump back in the top eight.

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) January 19, 2019

Will Walker takes the final wicket as @MagpiesCMCC grab a 17-run win over @DandenongCC in @vicpremcricket. Panthers all out for 221 chasing the Maggies’ 6-238.

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) January 19, 2019

Magpies coach Brad Loveluck said his side was building form with four two-day games remaining before finals.

“Coming into Christmas we won two on the bounce and lost to Fitzroy Doncaster but we played better cricket for the majority of that game,” Loveluck said.

“I would have actually given us a tick on that game, even though we didn’t get the result ... obviously we beat Essendon so that could have been four in a row.

“We lost against Greenvale but again I wouldn’t say we played poor cricket.

“I’d say we’re playing consistent cricket and at times conditions haven’t suited us, which is OK ... I’d say we’re building some nice momentum coming into the back half of the season.”

Sent in at Camberwell Sports Ground by Panthers captain Tom Donnell, half-centuries from Simon Hill, Lewis McManus and Tom Russ took the home side to a total of 6-238 — a target Loveluck assessed as “probably par, or maybe 10 below par”.

Hill and Daniel Rawson (30 off 73) negotiated the new ball pairing of Darren Pattinson and Dandy debutant Josh Shaw, putting on 69 for the first wicket.

Camberwell is one win outside the top eight. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Hill and McManus shared a 48-run stand before the veteran was run out for 64, hitting 3 fours and 3 sixes off 86 deliveries, with the score at 3-118, quickly becoming 4-121 when Dylan Hodge (2) was removed cheaply.

But McManus and Russ partnered for a vital 80-run fifth-wicket partnership, taking Camberwell beyond 200.

Russ added some powerhitting in Camberwell’s total, punching 6 fours and 2 sixes on his way to 66 not out.

In-form Dandenong all-rounder James Nanopoulos came to the crease with the visitors wobbling at 4-57, almost playing a matchwinning knock to drag his side to a stunning victory.

Nanopoulos raised his bat for his fourth 50 of the summer, finding support in Cam Forsyth (23) and Jacques Augustin (17) to take the Panthers to 6-145.

The equation left when Augustin and Peter Cassidy (0) fell in successive overs was 83 from the final 12 overs.

Darren Pattinson (28) got the run-rate below a run a ball before he was run out after a sharp piece of fielding from Matt Whittaker.

As the ball trickled down the wicket, Pattinson set off for a single only for Whittaker to charge down to the striker’s end and throw the stumps down.

The crash of equipment from the grandstand suggested Pattinson wasn’t happy with the decision, leaving Nanopoulos the task of seeing the Panthers home.

Darren Pattinson sends one down. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Nanopoulos finished unbeaten on 78 off 90 balls, striking 6 fours and 1 six, but ran out of partners as the Panthers were bowled out for 221 in the 48th over.

Will Walker (3-29 off 8.2 overs) grabbed three wickets, while Whittaker (2-34 off) and Russ (2-44 off 10) each claimed two.

“All-round I think we probably played the better cricket for the majority of the game and controlled the momentum all the way through. It was a pretty convincing win really,” Loveluck said.

“The boys have played some really good cricket over the last month and a half.

“Obviously we lost last week (against Greenvale) but we still felt like we played some good cricket in that game.

“The confidence is there in the group … they’re doing a great job so they deserved the result.”