Premier Cricket: Prahran, Dandenong to meet in grand final
It’s been almost 40 years since the True Blues won a pennant, but they’ll have to defeat the experienced Dandenong in the grand final.
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IAN Crawford saw Julien Wiener and had to reach for his sunglasses.
The sight of Prahran coach Wiener overcome with emotion in the changerooms after last Saturday’s semi-final victory over Fitzroy-Doncaster made Crawford a little teary too.
Finally, fabulously, the True Blues were into another grand final.
Crawford pulled the sunglasses out of his shirt pocket and put them on in the rooms, shading eyes that have seen a lot at Toorak Park.
He was in the second year of his 28-year reign as president when Prahran last won a District/Premier Cricket pennant, in 1983-84.
There has been success in lower grades, one-day titles, Twenty20 crowns and players pushing up to state cricket, mostly recently Will Sutherland. But the premiership that counts has eluded the True Blues for almost 40 years.
“Too long. Far too long,’’ legendary administrator Crawford said.
Dav Whatmore was captain-coach of the team that defeated Essendon, making an unbeaten century.
Prahran was strong, Crawford said, and the club imagined a run of flags.
But the following season there was a semi-final washout against Carlton. And in the years since there has been a string of losses in semis and preliminary finals.
“The one that counts, we haven’t nailed that one at all,’’ Crawford said.
Former Australian medium-pacer Simon Davis, now 62, played in the 1983-84 premiership and has lived in Queensland for the past 23 years.
He remembers the grand final for Essendon “making the stupid mistake of trying to bounce out Dav’’.
Davis was surprised to learn the Victorian Premier Cricket season was still going – “I thought it would have finished ages ago’’ – and surprised to be told the last flag flown at Toorak Park was the one he helped secure.
“I’ve lost track of it … I follow the Shield but I don’t follow the club results,’’ he said.
“But that’s good news. Really good news actually. I really enjoyed my time at Prahran. They were very supportive, a very committed club. In the first two or three years I was there we weren’t terribly competitive but at exactly the right time we came together as a very good team …. Blair Campbell, Brad Green, Andrew Grant, Peter Grant, Andrew Scott. And when Dav fired he was, well, one of the best players in Victoria.’’
Davis was also taken aback to learn that long-serving officials like Crawford, John Malligan, John Raglus and David Jukes were still attached to the club.
He wished them well – “Please pass on my regards to all those gentlemen’’ – and said he would be thinking of Prahran and Wiener on Saturday.
Wiener returned to the club as coach in August, 2018. The former Test opener is in Prahran’s hall of fame but he missed out on the 1983-84 premiership, having crossed to Ringwood 12 months earlier.
Prahran finished 13th in 2018-19 and rose to seventh in 2019-20.
This season, played under a one-day format due to COVID, it qualified third for the finals, strengthened by the recruitment of batsman Damon Egan and fast bowler Nick Boland, but also the improvement of Nick Blaich, Lachie Bangs and young left-arm spinners Blake Parsons and James Boyce.
Crawford said Wiener had had an “incredible impact’’ as coach.
“He’s had respect, he’s had trust, he’s had leadership and he’s been able to demonstrate how to play the game the way it should be played, through the whole club, all four XIs,’’ he said.
“Prahran plays an entertaining brand of cricket.’’
That was no more evident than last Saturday, when wicketkeeper-batsman Blaich opened the innings in a run chase against the Lions and blasted 63 off 37 balls, three times pulling the ball on to Orrong Rd.
In Dandenong, the True Blues will meet a team accustomed the finals success.
Captain Tom Donnell and all-rounder James Nanopoulos have played in all three of Dandy’s flags since 2006-07.
Brett Forsyth, Ed Newman, Peter Cassidy and Jacques Augustin joined them as premiership players when the Panthers got the better of Fitzroy-Doncaster in 2017-18.
Cassidy and Augustin are the reasons why Dandenong – which finished seventh after the home-and-away rounds – is into the grand final.
Dandy were 6-82 in last Saturday’s semi against Geelong, but, remarkably, improbably, they put on 137 and by the last over had levelled the scores.
The irony was that Augustin had been overlooked for First XI selection until Round 14 because of his batting. His 71 not out against the Cats was his first half-century in Premier Cricket. But he does have a century to his name, when playing for Fitzroy-Doncaster.
Crawford and other Prahran people followed the finish of the Geelong-Dandenong match on Frogbox and were happy for Cassidy, a former True Blues player.
“We’ve always hoped for the best for him with his cricket,’’ Crawford said.
But perhaps not on Saturday.
The grand final will start at the Junction Oval at 9am.
PLAYER PROFILES
PRAHRAN
Nick Blaich: wicketkeeper-batsman who has broken through in Premier Cricket this season, spanking a maiden century against Melbourne and hitting 552 runs at 34.50. Fitzroy-Doncaster bowled some short stuff to him last Saturday and he cracked 63 off 37 balls, tucking in like a hungry man at a buffet.
James Billington: sensing an opportunity to break into first-class cricket, the right-hander started the season in South Australia. Hasn’t really got going since returning to the First XI in Round 14. But he’s a class act.
Damon Egan: the former Demon and Saint has found a happy and productive home at Toorak Park this season, spanking a career-best 672 runs at 51.69, with two centuries.
Jake Hancock: the skipper has batted in the middle division since the Christmas break and done it consistently well, hitting 446 runs at 44.6. An adaptable player; he can build and he can wield.
Will Sutherland: the Victorian all-rounder came into the team for the semi-final, bowled well and with his mate Lachie Bangs batted Prahran to victory. And his joy after the match showed how much it meant to him.
Lachie Bangs: athletic and enthusiastic all-rounder who burst to prominence with two blazing centuries earlier in the season. Hadn’t seen too much bowling ahead of the semi against the Lions but came through with 40 not out.
Matt Wilcox: the right-arm paceman has been one of the premier bowlers of the competition this season, taking plenty of wickets (35 at 12.29) and going at only 2.99 runs per over. Handy for a few lusty blows with the bat too.
Andrew Perrin: first class-experienced quickie in his second season at Prahran. Sat out four matches due to suspension but up to 20 wickets and invariably strikes early.
Nick Boland: fast bowler recruited from Frankston-Peninsula ahead of the season and has picked up 29 wickets at 21.83. Runs in hard as strong support for Perrin and Wilcox.
Blake Parsons: left-arm spinner who with 29 wickets joins Wilcox and Boland in the top 10 bowling charts this season. The son of club president Nigel Parsons and has comes through the grades, improving at every level.
James Boyce: another left-arm tweaker, and came into the top team in Round 12 after good returns in the Second XI. Has looked comfortable in the higher company.
DANDENONG
Tom Donnell: champion left-hand opening batsman and captain of the Panthers. He’ll bat in the bold manner that has brought him more than 8500 career runs, climbing into anything short or overpitched.
Brett Forsyth: supposedly the Ryder Medal champion isn’t suited to one-day cricket. Yet he’s accumulated 616 runs at 56 and the Panthers have often built around him. Ringwood star David King reckons he’ll win the John Scholes Medal as player of the match.
Josh Slater: steady right-hander who came into the side five weeks ago. Missed out in the earlier finals but he enjoys the confidence of coach Warren Ayres.
Ed Newman: left-hander who made his maiden Premier century this season after a few years of trying. Has it within him to play a matchwinning innings.
Comrey Edgeworth: tall right-hander who would probably prefer red ball to white. Doesn’t own a lot of runs this season. But he does have a straight bat, an equable temperament and a team-first outlook.
James Nanopoulos: the veteran all-rounder has had another superb season with the ball, jagging a competition-high 37 wickets at 12.9, highlighted by his 8-16 off 10 overs against Kingston Hawthorn. How often do you see it, Nanopoulos getting on a roll and taking down top-orders? Prahran will treat him like a suspicious package – with much caution.
Peter Cassidy: Left Prahran as a useful seconds cricketer a few years ago and will confront it in a grand final as a respected First XI player. His medium pace can be harder to hit than Floyd Mayweather and he showed his ability with the bat in a stunning semi-final partnership with Jacques Augustin.
Jacques Augustin: how about that semi-final knocking from jaunty Jacques? Overlooked for most of the season because of his batting, the gun wicketkeeper played the innings of his career to bat his team into the grand final. A fighting cricketer.
Suraj Randiv: there are few better spinners in Premier Cricket than the former Sri Lankan Test offie, who has 21 wickets at 24.76 this season. Capable with the bat too.
Jack Fowler: dropped after Round 2, the right-arm paceman returned to the side for the quarter-final and then did his bit with 1-31 against the Cats in the semi-final.
Adam McMaster: the right-arm paceman has made a resounding return to the Dandenong team, capturing 25 wickets after grabbing 18 in the seconds to earn his promotion. He’s a genuine wickettaker: even his juicy half-volleys tend to find edges.
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
Evan Gulbis, Carlton coach: Prahran have the greater depth with more matchwinners. If they can nullify Nanopoulos’s impact, they should get the silverware.
Adam Crosthwaite, St Kilda captain: Dandenong to win and Brett Forsyth to win the John Scholes Medal. Dandenong’s senior players to be super-important. Forsyth to control the innings and Randiv to be very hard to play in the middle overs. It will be a very interesting grand final. Good luck to both teams.
Ejaaz Alavi, Fitzroy-Doncaster captain: Prahran. A great grand final awaits! While Dandenong has the more recent finals experience, Prahran might just have the firepower to get the job done.
David King, Ringwood champion: Dandenong will win this one in a tight contest. Their top-end batting talent and experience plus the bowling expertise of James Nanopoulos will pull them over the line. My John Scholes Medal tip is Brett Forsyth. He’ll score 100.
Shorye Chopra, Kingston-Hawthorn captain: With or without ‘Patto’ (James Pattinson) I think Dandenong’s experience gives them the upper hand. Would put money on Dandy but hope the True Blues come through.
Michael Hill, Essendon batsman: Dandenong – experience in big games is invaluable. Elder statesmen who have won premierships in the past and know what it takes.
Shannon Young, Richmond coach: Very tight. Dandenong. Big-game players with the ball may squeeze a talented yet inexperienced-at-finals-level batting line-up.
Ben Vague, Melbourne coach: Prahran deserve to be favourites and have been building towards winning a premiership under ‘Jules’ (coach Julien Wiener) and ‘Juzzy’ (assistant coach Justin Graham) the past couple of seasons. However, Dandenong just win flags and have the best player in the comp in Nanopoulos. Dandenong – just!
Will Carr, Casey South Melbourne coach: I think Prahran. Prahran have been as good as anyone this season. Despite finishing third they could have easily finished on top with less than a game separating them and Carlton. Extremely well-balanced team with a batting line-up than can work through the gears and a disciplined bowling attack that can apply the greatest of pressure. Dandenong have some absolute seasoned pros with tremendous records who have “been there done that”, and their team as a whole have demonstrated unbelievable belief, but their middle-order will be the area for most concern. Head says Prahran, but as a former Panther, heart says Dandenong.
Mike Ronchi, Frankston Peninsula administration manager: Prahran. They have the real hunger and momentum. The last few seasons have seen the whole club work to this moment. They have been playing for the respect of the club and its history and enjoying each other’s successes. It’s all on the line for PCC.
Sean Flynn, Ringwood coach: will be a great game. Both great bowling sides but Prahran to win a real close one.
Peter Marshall, Kingston Hawthorn coach: Tantalising contest. Prahran’s attack is unrelenting with medium pacers and two left-arm spinners for support. Their batting is deeper than Dandenong’s and they have the X factor in Lachie Bangs. Dandenong is good up top however I feel their middle-order may struggle agst Prahran’s attack. Nanopoulos is the key for them to fire. Forsyth is a big occasion player and with Donnell will need to set up a good first-wicket stand. Prahran for me and let’s pray the Melbourne weather is kind to us.
Brian Keogh, former Casey South Melbourne coach: Two very talented teams, both really well led and have shown an ability to win the big moments. I’m thinking the game will go very deep and I’m leaning towards Dandenong on the back of the wave of emotion from last week and the likely return of James Pattinson.
Brayden Stepien, Carlton opener: It’s going to be a close battle between the experience of Dandenong and the rising talent of Prahran. Feel the experience of Dandenong will just be too strong, especially in a grand final. They have been in the situation before and know how to get the job done.
Daniel Sartori, Footscray batsman: Hmm, it’s a tough game to pick. Prahran to win, more depth and more matchwinners in one-day cricket. Sutherland, Wilcox and Billington to be the stars on the day.
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