Dowling Shield: Casey South Melbourne opener Atharv Deshpande hits third consecutive century

Casey South Melbourne opener Atharv Deshpande’s run scoring has become a talking point of the Cricket Victoria Under 17 series.

Casey South Melbourne’s Atharv Deshpande has hit three consecutive Dowling Shield centuries.

There was another round of Dowling Shield cricket on Sunday.

And there was another century from Casey South Melbourne opener Atharv Deshpande.

The right-hander scored his third consecutive ton for the Swans, hitting 143 against the Prahran bowlers at Casey Fields.

He was run out in the final over, having faced 154 balls and hits 16 fours.

It followed his innings of 101 not against Frankston Peninsula on January 25 and 126 not out against Ringwood on Australia Day.

His first four hands in the Premier Cricket Under 17 competition have brought him 387 runs at 193.5.

Deshpande first came to notice in last season’s Under 16 series with an unbeaten century against Dandenong.

Atharv Deshpande walks off after his century against Prahran.

He’s now playing in Casey South Melbourne’s Second XI and is regarded as one of the club’s brightest prospects.

Swans development coach Stuart Fairley said Deshpande had battled heat as much as the bowling to record his three centuries.

He said the 17-year-old had been “really building on his learnings’’.

“We’ve given him feedback that he’s worked on and he’s very coachable,’’ Fairley said.

“He’s taken on all that the coaching group has given him. From the first one (century) to the second one to third one, it’s like he’s worked through the gears, got the right intent, the right tempo.

“Yesterday he just batted brilliantly. Physically, he was struggling with the workload he’s had for the week. But his innings grew and grew. He got a few loose balls early that got him away – at one stage he was going at better than a run a ball.’’

Deshpande’s innings took in an opening partnership of 130 with Luke Grady (45) and lifted the Swannies to 5-285.

Prahran gave gallant chase, reaching 8-278, with top four Caleb Candappa (41), Charlie Edwards (52), Oliver Will (66) and Joseph Klotz (50) all contributing.

Leggie Charlie Graham, the son of Prahran assistant coach and former Melbourne stalwart Justin Graham, took 3-52 off his 10 overs.

Indian-born Deshpande arrived at the Swans unannounced last season – and missed selection in the Fourth XI by the first round.

By the end of the season he was in the Second XI.

Noting some of the big scores in the Dowling series – Geelong’s Henry Melville broke the record with 205 on Australia Day – Fairley said runs had been “absolutely flowing’’.

“I would say it’s the flat, recycled wickets being used,’’ he said. “New tracks aren’t being brought up. They’re using First XI or Second XI tracks that have been used the day before and maybe it’s a bit easier for the batsmen.

“But I also think it’s got something to do with the quality across the teams. I don’t think as many kids have been dragged in from local cricket. They’re already playing Second, Third and Fourth XI Premier Cricket and there’s even a couple who have been in the First XI.

“They’re in the system already.’’

There were three other centuries on Sunday.

Carlton century-maker Lachlan Shinn-Mahony. Pic: Carlton CC

St Kilda’s Harry Dixon, who has played in the club’s First XI this season, spanked 154 against Greenvale Kangaroos.

Dixon’s 111-ball innings took in 4 sixes and 15 fours, and a 113-run stand with Hugo Hughes (67 off 69). The Saints swept to 5-354 and then dismissed the Kangaroos for 180, Nick Sharpin doing damage with 4-37.

Ringwood No 3 Oliver Horlock had a day out against Kingston Hawthorn, cracking 130 off 131 balls, with 9 fours, in a total of 5-259.

The Hawks reached 203 in reply.

Horlock, a right-hander who is in the Vic Metro Under 17 Metro program, shared a century partnership (106) with Archie Flynn, who was run out for 51.

Carlton captain Lachlan Shinn-Mahony came through with an important century for the Blues against Melbourne University.

He scored 105 in a team total of 8-210, off 103 balls and with 7 fours and 1 six.

“It was a very good innings,’’ Carlton coach Tom Smyth said.

“He took his time early and got himself in. And then he took ownership of the innings and guided us to what was a very competitive total.

“He’d been batting well and pretty harsh on himself when he got out. He was definitely keen to get a big score and help us bounce back from the last couple of games.’’

Uni fell for 80, with Blues leggie Henry Edwards, from Bendigo United, giving one of the best bowling performances of the series with 5-12 off 10 overs.

The Dowling Shield series takes a break and resumes on February 13.

ROUND 4 SCORES

Northcote123 K Kanchan 52 J Singh 27 P Forrest 4/4 Z Fraser 3/16 def by Camberwell Magpies 5/190 (cc) H Lasscock 44 E Nelson 38 P Forrest 29 Z Mills 3/39 at Bill Lawry Oval

Casey-South Melbourne 5/285 (cc) A Deshpande 143 L Grady 45 AA Mehta 38 C Graham 3/52 def Prahran 8/278 O Will 66 C Edwards 52 J Klotz 50 C Candappa 41 CS Siegelwin 2/43 at Casey Fields No. 4

Richmond 3/177 M Parker 71* G Fernando 51* JT Iverson 29 def Fitzroy Doncaster 176 A Sharma 52 M Sacristani 45 A Chobisa 28 MJ Annear 3/41 at Central Reserve North

Greenvale Kangaroos 180 J Jarrett 56 B Learmonth 26 N Sharpin 4/37 HA Hughes 2/27 def by St Kilda 5/354 (cc) HT Dixon 154 HA Hughes 67 LO Sellenger 44 C Davidson 37 J Pysing 2/74 at Greenvale Reserve #1

Footscray 1/160 MT Jamieson 86* A Nadeem 59* def Geelong157 A Sehrawat 3/26 LR Mason 3/27 MT Jamieson 2/20 J Pace 2/26 at Mervyn G Hughes Oval

Frankston Peninsula 101 T McRae 5/26 J Singh 2/2 B Richardson 2/22 def by Dandenong 116 TA De Silva 27 C Costa 3/17 L Walsh 3/22 MJ Walker 2/6 at AH Butler Oval

Melbourne University 85 H Edwards 5/12 N Brennan 2/13 X Austin 2/28 def by Carlton 8/210 (cc) L Shinn-Mahony 105 T Hoffman 26 X Austin 25 H Sheahan 3/34 TC Arthur 2/14 MR Richings 2/48 at University Main Oval

Kingston Hawthorn 203 N Tindall 51 X McGrath 37 CW Clancy 26 JC Beaton 3/38 GJ Lawson 3/39 OG Horlock 2/39 def by Ringwood 5/259 (cc) OG Horlock 130* AM Flynn 51 A Roach 2/30 at Walter Galt Reserve

Essendon 5/235 LA McKinnon 70* G Brar 54 K Scott 46 TB Wrigglesworth 2/33 def Melbourne231 TB Wrigglesworth 76 CZ Howe 60 HM Pearson 29 LA McKinnon 3/42 C Bolmat 2/22 J Lombardo 2/40 at Windy Hill