Lions skipper Alavi plays matchwinning hand at Dandy

The Lions jumped from seventh to fourth with a rousing win over Dandenong at Shepley Oval, thanks largely to Ejaaz Alavi.

Ejaaz Alavi walks off after his fine innings at Shepley Oval.

He’s always referred to as the left-arm spinner and more recently as the Fitzroy-Doncaster captain.

It’s time to call Ejaaz Alavi the all-rounder.

In a vital Round 13 match against Dandenong, Alavi hit a career-high 89 from the No 6 slot to send the Lions on their way to a rousing win at Shepley Oval on Saturday.

On a pitch that Dandy watchers assessed as the best they’d seen at the ground for some time, the visitors raised 229 and then dismissed the disappointing Panthers for 136 in the 45th over.

It had been a sixth (Dandenong)-versus-seventh (Fitzroy-Doncaster) clash.

Jack Rudd at the creases for the Lions on Saturday. Picture: Valeriu Campan

After it, the Lions were fourth and Dandenong eighth … who said they were a club in a transition period after the departure of 10,000 run man Peter Dickson at the end of last season?

Right-hander Alavi played an inventive and adventurous innings that suggested he’d been watching a lot of his clubmate Glenn Maxwell in the Big Bash.

There were clever little paddles and sweeps into gaps on a quick outfield. There were also singles to keep the score from sleeping and a couple of hefty blows, including a six over mid-off in the final over.

Alavi was run out coming back for a second that was never on; his disregard for red-ink marked him out as a team-first cricketer.

His 89 came off 87 balls, included 5 fours and 2 sixes, and took in a vibrant partnership of 91 with Charles Simondson after the Lions were 6-107.

Simondson, starting to blossom as a player, hit 38 off 48 balls (with 5 fours) after going out to face champion Panthers spinner Suraj Randiv on a hat-trick.

Randiv had picked up Lions opener Jack Rudd stumped for 56 and bowled Sam Elliott for a first-baller.

Dandenong medium-pacer Peter Cassidy. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Rudd’s half-century took his aggregate to 586 runs at 58.6, with three centuries since Christmas.

The right-hander looked assured in everything he did.

Alavi said the club believed the 26-year-old could take his cricket to another level.

“He had a breakout year last season, and I think he’s enjoying the extra responsibility of being a senior player in the side,’’ he said.

“He had to do it the hard way, score a lot of runs in the seconds over a number of years. Now he’s really reaping the rewards of being a strong Premier cricketer.

“We think he’s definitely good enough to play first-class cricket. We’re pushing for him to play first-class cricket. His game could definitely stand up in a first-class scenario. Hopefully we’ll see him playing for the Vics some time soon.’’

As for his own batting, Alavi said he had worked on it and, like Rudd, had accepted the responsibility of “being a senior player and as captain of a pretty young side’’.

Dandenong lost its great opener Brett Forsyth (4) early in the chase, edging Nicholas Fletcher and being caught by Rudd, who made a jaunty juggle of it.

James Nanopoulos (3) hit a high catch for wickie Liam Banthorpe off the same bowler.

Jake Thomas lets one go for Dandenong. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Left-handers Tom Donnell and Ed Newman took the score to 2-46 but once Newman went for 15, caught at mid-on by Liam Smith off Kobe Smith, the Dandenong innings unravelled.

Donnell (25) was a victim of the same crisp Smith combination.

Eighth pair Comrey Edgeworth (40) and Peter Cassidy (36) added 71, a stand that restored some respectability to the score rather than threatened the Lions.

The skiddy Fletcher (3-21 off eight overs), the slippery Elliott (3-25 off 9.1) and the steady Smith (2-23 off seven) shared the spoils, but left a sliver for Simondson (1-14 off four).

“We knew it was going to be a crucial sort of game, so we came ready to play and knowing we had to bring our best against Dandenong,’’ Alavi said.

“It was a good, team performance. We were able to get contributions from different guys at different stages.

“Really happy to move into the top four but it’s pretty tight between fourth and 10th so there’s still plenty of work to be done with four games left.’’