ECA 2020-21: East Doncaster’s Peter Dickson reflects on grand final century
Star signing Peter Dickson reinforced his reputation as a big-game player in East Doncaster’s ECA grand final triumph despite injury.
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Peter Dickson’s best came in the biggest game of the season.
The Premier Cricket great punched out a magnificent 121 in the Eastern Cricket Association Dunstan Shield decider in a player-of-the-match performance as East Doncaster captured its second flag in three summers.
But while North Balwyn’s bowlers failed to stop Dickson, neither did a damaged hamstring.
Dickson suffered the injury in the final round of the home-and-away season, forcing him to retire hurt on 32 against Old Carey.
His response? A match-winning 70 not out in East Doncaster’s semi-final triumph over Mont Albert before a maiden century for the club in the grand final.
The achievement was made all the more meritorious by the fact Dickson aggravated the injury early in his innings on Saturday.
He was 88 not out at stumps on day one after rain forced the game into a second day.
The knock featured nine boundaries and three sixes and lifted East Doncaster to 7-190 as the home side cruised to a crushing 146-run victory.
“I hurt my hamstring on about 10 and I decided I was going to try and score some boundaries and score quickly,” Dickson said.
“I probably rode my luck a little bit and then we lost a few wickets and I had to change the way I was going about it again and knuckle down.
“Then (on Sunday) pretty much everything went to plan.
“But to get a hundred in a grand final … as a batsman that’s what you want to do.
“At times I struggled a bit this year, but for most of this innings I got it right and thought I paced my innings pretty well.”
Dickson’s slice of fortune included two dropped chances.
He finished with 585 runs at 65 for the season, also contributing scores of 84 not out and 77 in the regular rounds.
Dickson was the recruit of the off-season after a decorated Premier Cricket career with Fitzroy Doncaster that took in back-to-back premierships as captain, about 10,000 runs and 200 wickets.
He hammered a memorable 226 (retired hurt) in the Lions’ grand final triumph over Ringwood in 2015-16.
At Zerbes Reserve on the weekend, he only reinforced his reputation as a player who delivers in the big games.
“I probably think about the game a lot,” Dickson said when queried on his ability to fire when it matters.
“Just thinking about their bowlers and analysing things, maybe I just prepare well those weeks.
“I think a lot of it has got to do with a bit of luck, things go your way, and fortunately I’ve played in some premierships, been in good sides and scored some runs.”
He was also pleased to deliver success to East Doncaster, which also finished minor premier in 2019-20 before a shock semi-final defeat against North Balwyn.
“It means a lot to me,” Dickson said.
“I know how much it hurt the guys last year, not getting there, and we made a real mark at the start of the year that this was our goal and our aim.
“To get there has been a tremendous effort in a year that’s been really tricky with COVID and things are changing all the time.
“I think the way we stuck together has been a credit to the boys and the club.”
North Balwyn was rolled for 44 on Sunday, with Kyle Hoath (4-7) and skipper Matt Vaiano (3-23) leading the way.
Dickson said the quality of East Doncaster’s attack meant there was “no rest” for opposition batsmen.
“It’s just a really well-rounded bowling attack,” he said.
“In this competition, it’s well-suited to one-day cricket. Hopefully next year we can play that really good brand in two-day cricket.”
DICKSON-INSPIRED EAST DONCASTER CROWNED ECA PREMIER
East Doncaster has produced three seasons of excellence in the Eastern Cricket Association.
On Sunday, the Dunstan Shield powerhouse was rewarded with another premiership to add to its 2018-19 triumph as it stamped itself as the competition’s leading club.
Twelve months earlier, East Doncaster’s finals campaign ended with a shock semi-final defeat to eventual premier North Balwyn.
But there was no sign of nerves this time as the pair locked horns in the biggest game of the summer, with the minor premier inspired by Peter Dickson’s memorable century and Kyle Hoath’s supreme bowling to secure the flag in emphatic style.
Dickson crunched 121 from 128 deliveries in a masterclass spread over two days after rain cut play short on Saturday.
Matt Bremner contributed 26 in a 94-run opening stand before the home side lost 4-24 to give the Bulls a sniff.
After resuming at 4-140 on day two and with Dickson eyeing three figures, East Doncaster piled on 50 runs in seven overs to post a healthy total of 7-190 on the back of its star recruit’s brilliance.
Dickson hammered nine boundaries and three sixes, leaving him with 585 runs at 65 for the season.
He also compiled a match-winning 70 in the semi-final and while he enjoyed a decorated Premier Cricket career with Fitzroy Doncaster, he is unlikely to forget his two most recent knocks in a hurry.
“It’s actually unbelievable to think we have someone of his calibre just come down to our club,” East Doncaster skipper Matt Vaiano said.
“To have someone who’s been a superstar in a much higher competition … I say it all the time about him – it’s not so much his on-field ability we’ve been so blessed with, it’s actually his off-field stuff.
“Right through the whole club, everyone loves him.
“I said at the start of the year and halfway through that whatever we get on the field is a bonus.
“He’s been unbelievable.”
Asked if his team’s finals campaign may have ended differently without Dickson’s contribution, Vaiano said he maintained faith in the other members of his XI.
“But I’m not going to apologise for having him, that’s for sure,” he said.
North Balwyn’s run chase started disastrously and it never recovered against a relentless East Doncaster outfit.
They never threatened to complete an upset win, slipping to 3-17, 4-24 and then 7-40.
Bulls skipper Nitesh Patel (11) was the only batsman to reach double figures as the Bulls were blasted out for just 44 in 21.4 overs.
The classy Patel (420 runs) enjoyed another fine season, but Hoath removed the dangerman in a superb spell which garnered 4-7 from six overs.
Vaiano sent down eight overs straight for a return of 3-23, while Shaun Morris (2-1) and Rob Sayer (1-11) also bowled superbly.
“We’ve been blessed with some young talent as well,” Vaiano said.
“Rob Sayer is the perfect example as someone who came to our club as a spinner and this year he’s taken (29) wickets bowling pace.
“It certainly is a balanced bowling attack and super young. We’ve got one bowler at the moment over 28, so we’ve got plenty of years ahead.
“I’ve just been really pleased with the consistency.”
Vaiano heaped praise on Hoath, who collected 8-26 in the finals series and finished the season with 24 wickets at 10.04 apiece.
He would have been a worthy recipient of player of the match if not for Dickson’s heroics.
“Personally I don’t feel he gets the respect he deserves as a bowler,” Vaiano said.
“It’s very hard to face a medium-pacer who swings it. When you just bowl the best ball you can every time, the results come. That’s exactly what he does.
“He’s been incredible for us and taken some massive wickets. We’re super proud of him.”
Vaiano said he was “hopeful” East Doncaster would field the same First XI line-up next season.
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