Premier Cricket: Dandenong reunion for 2010-11 premiership team

It has gone down as one of Victorian Premier Cricket’s greatest grand finals, with nerves taut until the very end. Here’s how it unfolded.

Supporters congratulate Justin Butterfield after he helped secured the first-innings victory for Dandenong.

It was an extraordinary grand final, straining with tension over all three days.

At the end of it, people held up the 2010-11 title-decider as one of the greatest matches in Victorian District/Premier Cricket.

Dandenong won on the first innings by two runs, but only after Frankston Peninsula almost pulled off a miraculous reverse outright.

The Panthers had to rely on No 11 Justin Butterfield, batting with Darren Pattinson, to survive 12 balls to avoid being bowled out in their second dig and losing the match.

Nerves jangling everywhere at the Melbourne University ground, the last pair pulled through for Dandenong, with Pattinson 21 not out off 81 deliveries.

There was jubilation for the Panthers and devastation for the Heat, who were chasing their first premiership in the competition.

Tense Dandenong players take in the play.

The tale was ultimately in the tail: big “Butters’’ and James Pattinson put on 38 for the last wicket in the first innings, lifting Dandenong from 9-194 to 226 and past Frankston Peninsula’s 224.

Butterfield eventually fell for 13 (off 57 balls) to Heat paceman James Miller, one of the game’s outstanding performers. Miller finished with 6-54 off 24.5 overs and picked up another two wickets in the dramatic second half of the match.

The Heat zipped to 8-138 off 28 overs and then declared in their second innings, with captain Matt Chasemore cracking 46 off 34 balls (“We went hard to try to set something up,’’ Chasemore recalled).

Tom Donnell on the attack in the first innings.

The audacious declaration left Dandenong to make 141 or bat out 57 overs, no easy task on a wicket starting to lose some of its trust and against an attack of Miller, fellow fast bowler Darren Groves, state spinner Jon Holland, future Victorian paceman Scott Boland and Chasemore.

Opener Nick Thomas and No 3 Peter Sweeney were dismissed early but Tom Donnell and captain Darren Dempsey took the score to 2-54 as the Panthers fought to a strong position.

Watching on, the legendary Brendan McArdle began to think the Heat were close to conceding (10 years on, Chasemore says it never entered his mind, not with the calibre of attack at his disposal).

Frankston Peninsula players celebrate after Jon Holland (centre) claimed the wicket of Darren Dempsey.

Soon fortunes were swinging back and forth again, and when Donnell went for 50, Dandy were 5-89 and the task was more about holding on than running down a target.

Groves got on a roll and dismissed James Pattinson, Dylan Quirk and Brent Fairbanks, leaving the Panthers nine wickets down and with 38 balls to get through for the premiership.

They survived in a finish of almost unbearable tension.

Quirkily – a word not used because 17-year-old Quirk was Dandy’s wicketkeeper – Frankston Peninsula lost the match despite scoring more runs and taking more wickets than its opponent.

Just to add more of a talking point to it, Frankston Peninsula batsman Nick Jewell and Butterfield had an altercation as the players shook hands, angering Darren Pattinson, who was quick to fly the flag for his teammate (the umpires made no reports).

The great Premier Cricket administrator Peter Binns called the match an “all-time classic’’ and said it was a shame there had to be a loser.

McArdle still calls it “the best the game of cricket I’ve ever seen’’.

Dandenong batsman Darren Dempsey puts away a short ball.

He notes the quality of the players involved. Dandenong’s attack was the Pattinson brothers, Peter Siddle, Butterfield, Fairbanks and James Nanopoulos (now the club’s leading wicket-taker with more than 350).

Donnell and 10,000-run batsman Dempsey anchored the batting.

Frankston Peninsula’s bowling was exceptional, but its batting was excellent too, with Jewell, Luke Walker and Chasemore in the middle division.

Ricky Damiano was at the top and he took on the Dandenong quickies in both innings, scoring 47 off 68 balls and 27 off 28.

The Heat were 5-213 at the end of the first day but Siddle ran through the lower-order early on day two. And from there the match knew no idling position.

Dandenong batsman Justin Butterfield roars with delight after the Panthers secured a first-innings victory.

Four Test players – Siddle, Holland, and the Pattinsons – took part in it, as well as first-class batsmen Jewell and Dempsey, a sprinkling of state second XI players and a host of worthy club cricketers.

Jewell made a gusty 63 off 212 balls in the Heat’s first innings, taking a number of fierce blows to the body from the Dandenong fast men. Left-hander Walker skilfully crafted 71 off 200 deliveries.

Miller took his bag of six wickets and Siddle nabbed his five.

James Pattinson hit a vital 59 not out in Dandy’s first innings and claimed 3-49 off 19 overs in Frankston Peninsula’s first dig.

Then there was Dandenong’s little left-hand opener, Donnell.

He held the Panthers together with 83 in the first innings and 50 in the second.

James Pattinson shaded him for the John Scholes Medal as player of the match, but Donnell was clearly the batsman of the match.

Heat paceman Scott Boland bends his back.

His memories of it are strong.

“It was three days of non-stop pressure,’’ Donnell was saying last night.

“There was never really a relaxing moment for either team.

“Yeah, three days of constant pressure and after the last ball was bowled and we all ran on the ground, it was more relief than anything. I’ve never played in a game like that, one where it toys with your emotions both ways, and for so long. Never have and probably never will again, to be honest.’’

He said the quality of the cricket was outstanding, unsurprising given the appearance of the internationals and first-class players.

This Saturday Dandenong is having a 10-year reunion of the premiership side as well as a “tribute roast’’ for its captain, Donnell.

Heat fast bowler Darren Groves rocked Dandenong on the third day.

He is a deeply modest fellow and embarrassed at what the club has organised. Some people say it won’t be a surprise if he doesn’t even turn up!

But the Panthers are keen to recognise their runs record holder as he nears the end of his long career in Premier Cricket.

It began in 2002-03 at Casey South Melbourne.

He joined Dandenong in 2005-06 and in the 15 years since he’s played 252 games for the club, scored 8630 runs (up until last Saturday), hit 12 centuries and 47 half-centuries, and shared 19 century partnerships with opening partner Brett Forsyth.

Donnell has been captain since 2015-16.

And he’s played in three premierships, including in 2010-11, one of the greatest grand finals of all.

The premiership reunion and Tom Donnell tribute night will be held at the Shepley Oval clubrooms on Saturday, from 7.30pm. A cost of $10 per person will cover catering and drinks will be at bar prices.

Scoreboard: Dandenong 226 and 9-125 def Frankston Peninsula 224 and 8 (dec)/138.

Dandenong team (batting order): Tom Donnell, Nick Thomas, Peter Sweeney, Darren Dempsey, James Nanopoulos, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Darren Pattinson, Dylan Quirk, Brent Fairbanks, Justin Butterfield.

Frankston Peninsula team: Ricky Damiano, Chris Dew, Ben Clements, Nick Jewell, Matt Chasemore, Luke Walker, James Miller, David Nankervis, Jon Holland, Scott Boland, Darren Groves.