Darwin cricket: Ashley Chandrasinghe hits three-straight tons, Dylan Brasher almost scores double hundred

Casey’s Ashley Chandrasinghe came back from two ducks to score his third-straight ton in his sixth game in Darwin on the weekend, while another Victorian struck 195.

Ashley Chandrasinghe has scored three-straight centuries from six matches in Darwin.

Ashley Chandrasinghe was awarded a Victorian state rookie contract after a stellar season in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition.

He scored 638 runs at an average of 40 for Casey South Melbourne last campaign, featuring six half centuries.

While that was impressive, his form in the Darwin Premier Cricket competition has been just as entertaining to watch.

The 20-year-old began his third season at Waratah’s with two ducks, admitting it wasn’t the best start.

“Yeah,” he laughed.

“It wasn’t a great start to my season in Darwin but I was lucky enough to be able to turn it around.”

The left-hand top order batsman scored a 35 the next week and has since notched three consecutive centuries.

Something which hasn’t been achieved since Harry Chamberlain, who scored three in a row for Darwin CC in 2019.

Chandrasinghe said he felt proud to achieve the feat when he brought up the third consecutive hundred against Nightcliff.

“I knew I was pretty close and I knew there was probably some talk about getting three in a row, especially the Tahs boys were talking about it a little bit,” Chandrasinghe said.

“But I felt really proud to be able to reach that milestone for the team and hopefully we can make the most of the good score and get some more wins to be in contention for finals.”

Waratah's Ashley Chandrasinghe slog sweeps for four. Picture: Roz Lavercombe

Chandrasinghe said he is still trying to figure out what exactly has brought the runs.

“I’ve been trying to figure that out myself actually,” he said.

“I don’t think a lot has changed technically or anything else like that but I think I am just telling myself to make as many good decisions as I can and for as long as I can.

“That would probably be the slight difference or addition into my mindset going into bat.”

Chandrasinghe said his body was holding up well despite the humidity of Darwin.

“Surprisingly, [the body is holding up] pretty well at the moment,” he said.

“All three of the innings have been marathon sort of inning’s having to stay out there for a long time.”

Chandrasinghe put his strong physical state down to the addition of nutrition to his regular training program since joining the Victorian state set-up.

“Since I’ve been added to a Victorian list, I have had meetings with dietitians to optimise what I am eating to enhance performance,” he said.

“So it’s probably down to that and the work that you’re doing during the week in the lead up to the game.”

Footscray youngster Dylan Brasher has also been a shining light in the Northern Territory.

The 20-year-old scored 195 on the weekend against Palmerston, marking just one of his three centuries this season in Darwin.

“It was obviously very pleasing at the end of the day,” Brasher said.

“You don’t go into the day thinking you’re going to get 195 or even 100 but it’s always nice when something like that comes off.

Dylan Brasher made 136 against Waratah earlier in the season.

Brasher credited his partner at the other end for the extra motivation he was given.

“I was batting with a teammate up here, Matt Calder, who is from Sydney who kept reminding me the whole innings that he once got 230 up here,” Brasher laughed.

Brasher said while it was a good running joke, it helped keep him going for the innings.

Brasher said he had mixed feelings coming off having fallen five runs short of a double hundred.

“I came off pretty upset to be honest, I knew I was close, I didn’t know exactly what I was on and I was sort of caught in between bringing it up in one shot and trying to nudge it around for a couple,” he said.

“I ended up running down the wicket and getting stumped.

“If you had have said I was getting 195 at the start of the day, I would have taken it.

“But to get so close and almost get there was disappointing and happy at the same time as I came off.”

Both Brasher and Chandrasinghe have participated in underage national tournaments representing Victoria Metro.

They said that playing cricket in Darwin over the winter provided a great opportunity for their game development.

Cricket and footy seasons in Darwin run opposite to Victoria as the climate presents ‘dry season’ conditions during Melbourne’s winter and ‘wet season’ conditions in summer.