Proud North Dandenong survives another season in Turf 1

As North Dandenong farewelled the season, Buckley Ridges was saying goodbye to overseas pair Ian Cockbain and Benny Howell.

Nimesh Kariyawasam took 22 wickets to help North Dandenong stay in Turf 1.

It finished second from the bottom, far from finals contention.

Still, North Dandenong survived in Turf 1 of the DDCA and on that basis president Jason Shaw is counting the season as a success.

The club has a proud record in the top grade: since going up after winning the Turf 2 flag in 1982-83, it has never gone down.

“That was the one thing we wanted to do. Our boys wanted to stay up there, absolutely,’’ Shaw said.

“The attitude was always good. Performance was up and down, typically in our batting, but our bowling and our fielding and our attitude were pretty bloody good, and the stats show that.

“We let ourselves down badly a couple of times, and at other times we weren’t good enough, as simple as that. But we could have won five games in a row to finish the season.’’

North Dandenong did go out on the high of a comfortable win over HSD, which finished last and will take the drop to Turf 2.

The Northerners hit 5-132 in reply to 131, with Imran Laghmani blitzing 79 not out off 77 balls, with 7 fours and 5 sixes, after taking 5-24 off 11.1 overs.

Laghmani started the season at Premier club Casey South Melbourne but opted to join his brothers at North Dandenong.

The club was also strengthened by the mid-season return from overseas of former star junior Javid Khan, an ex-First XI player at Premier outfit Kingston Hawthorn.

Khan took 11 wickets from his five matches and provided leadership.

“His game sense and his attitude straightened our blokes up a bit,’’ Shaw said.

He said Clay McCartney captained the team well and worked in with coach Leroy De Alwis. The right-hander made 377 runs at 41.9.

“All ticks for him. He’s matured significantly,’’ Shaw said. “A few people have got old attitudes towards him, and he’s bitten a few on the bum, which is good.’’

Shaw said North Dandenong could be optimistic about the future given that its young Second XI finished fifth and it would be fielding an Under 16 side next season (it will also be going with a fourth senior team, which was withdrawn in 2020-21 owing to COVID-19).

The club had Under 14 and 12 teams this season, as well as the Woolworths Cricket Blast program.

More wickets: Springvale South’s Jarryd Straker.

Meanwhile, Buckley Ridges will be without English pair Ian Cockbain and Benny Howell and veteran Susantha Pradeep for its Turf 1 semi-final against Springvale South on Saturday.

Cockbain and Howell have returned to the UK, apparently surprising Buckley with their timing of their departures, and Pradeep hurt his collarbone in the field and was unable to bat on Saturday against Narre South.

Buckley, chasing only 90 after coach Chanaka Welegadara grabbed 6-19 off 10 overs, was hustled out for 78. It finished fourth on percentage, the Ridges and Narre South both on 51 points.

Hallam Kalora Park (first), Berwick (second) and Springy South (third) sat above Buckley Ridges, all on 57 points.

As minor premiers the Hawks will host Berwick in the second semi-final, the winner going straight through to the grand final and the loser shaping up in a preliminary final.

The teams met in the final round and the Wicks won a high-scoring match, cracking 5-229 and keeping Hallam Kalora Park to 7-210.

Wookey Medal champion Ruwantha Kellepotha top scored for the winners with 64 and skipper Matt Chasemore made 45, giving him exactly 400 runs for the season.

Leigh Booth more than answered Kellepotha’s knock, hitting 86 off 112 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) and Matt Cox contributed 55.

James Wilcock (3-44 off nine overs) helped keep the Hawks in check in the late overs.

Springvale South (3-94) romped past St Mary’s (93), with mid-season recruit Clint Tomlinson unbeaten on 43 and spinner Jarryd Straker nabbing 3-27 off 12 overs.

In Turf 2, Mick and Peter Sweeney, in their first season back at the club, will lead Cranbourne into a semi-final against Dandenong West.

Both were named in the team of the season, Mick for his 378 runs at 34.4 and Peter for his 302 runs and 26 wickets.

Minor premier Narre Warren will host Parkmore Pirates in the other semi.