Evan Gulbis hits 19th century in Victorian Premier Cricket

Evan Gulbis walked off furious with himself after scoring 106 for Carlton in Premier Cricket. Here’s why.

A furious Evan Gulbis heads for the changerooms.

As he walked off the ground, Evan Gulbis gave the appearance of a man who had made a duck against Dandenong, not a dazzling century.

As his teammates applauded, the Carlton captain didn’t raise his bat, nor a satisfied smile.

And when he reached the privacy of the changerooms at Shepley Oval on Saturday he admonished himself with a few steamy words, confirming his mood.

He was furious.

Gulbis had made 106, his second century this season and the 19th of his outstanding Victorian Premier Cricket career.

He thought he should have made many more, that he’d “left a massive score out there’’.

The Blues had rattled along to 1-154 and were poised to give 300 a nudge but the Panthers fought back to restrict the Blues to 8-228 off 49 overs before rain arrived to wash away any chance of a result.

Evan Gulbis acknowledges his century. Pic: Chris Thomas, Cricket Victoria.

Gulbis needed only 98 balls for his century, which he brought up with a boundary through point.

He was out soon after, hitting a James Nanopoulos delivery straight to Dandenong skipper Tom Donnell at point. He’d hit 12 fours and 4 sixes. His batting was above club level.

But he was far from pleased.

After his innings he spoke of Carlton’s approach to its cricket ahead of the finals.

“What we’ve been talking about is playing with a ruthlessness that we’re going to need,’’ he said.

“We could play Geelong with Finch (Aaron Finch) and all of a sudden their batting is unbelievable. We could have Fitzroy-Doncaster before ‘Maxy’ (Glenn Maxwell) goes to IPL. We could have Melbourne Uni with their good bowling line-up. We could have Melbourne. You don’t know who you’re going to get. So we need to be ruthless in everything we do.’’

Gulbis admitted he’d been eyeing a “half-four window where this (his innings) could just be massive’’.

He had shared a century-stand with No 3 Mackenzie Harvey, who skied a catch to Nanopoulos off Jake Thomas after making 33 off 73 balls.

It was a restrained knock from the leftie.

“He did so much hard work. He’d batted really well,’’ Gulbis said. “He had no match-ups that suited him and he was able to hold himself back and engage in the partnership, which was great.

The Carlton skipper had been ill in the days before the match, unable to put down food or drink.

He said he was batting “just on adrenaline’’.

Before he had scored Gulbis was dropped by Dandenong wicketkeeper Jacques Augustin, diving to intercept a thick inside-edge after the Blue advanced at Nanopoulos in the first over.

Gulbis said his first reaction was that the ball would go for four. It was a hot chance.

His opening partner, Brayden Stepien, took a liking to Dandenong medium pacer Peter Cassidy, launching him into the grandstand.

Stepien raced to 23 off 20 balls before lifting Thomas to Nanopoulos on the boundary.

The Gulbis-Harvey union was worth 122 and had the visitors poised for a hefty total. But Dandenong pulled them back after the dismissal of Gulbis (who in addition to his 19 centuries also hit three tons in T20 competitions under the Premier Cricket banner).

Nanopoulos was immaculate with 3-14 off 10 overs, four of them maidens, and Gulbis held him up as a class act.

Thomas had 3-43 off nine and offie Suraj Randiv 1-32 off 10.

Cassidy (0-60 off 10) and Adam McMaster (1-80 off 10) were thrashed around on a fast outfield.

With three rounds to play Carlton is five points clear on top of the ladder, and Dandenong is fifth.