Tom Cullen departs Greenvale Kangaroos with century, victory
Tom Cullen gives Greenvale Kangaroos the perfect parting gift, a maiden Premier Cricket century, to help deliver a big win over Camberwell.
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Greenvale Kangaroos import Tom Cullen departs on a high.
The UK-based wicketkeeper-batsman scored a maiden Premier Cricket century to guide his team to a critical victory over Camberwell on Saturday.
Cullen returned to England on Sunday less than 24 hours after scoring an unbeaten 109.
Kangaroos vice-captain Scott Dixon added a rapid 95 from 85 balls to inspire a 59-run win at Greenvale Reserve.
“It sends Tom on his way on a good note, contributing massively to a good win,” coach Damian Shanahan said.
“He’s done well after a slow start, he’s made some good 50s, and it was pleasing to see him get a hundred (on Saturday).
“Scott was super impressive, jumping in after Harro and Tom got the game back on our terms.
“He’s been knocking on the door, starting to find a little bit of rhythm with a couple of 30s before last week, he isn’t far away from finding his form from late last season.
“He’s obviously vice-captain this season and been doing a great job for us with the ball as a sixth bowler.
“His leadership has always been first class and it’s great to see him get some reward for his hard work and hopefully it sets him up really well for the last four rounds.”
Cullen’s 134-ball knock lifts him into the Premier Cricket top-10 run-scorers, ranked eighth overall with 437 at an average of 54.63.
Coming together at 3-64, Cullen and Dixon put on a 155-run partnership as Greenvale posted 5-274.
Darcy Bell (3-29) and Michael Archer (3-42) then took three wickets apiece to dismiss the Magpies for 215.
Paceman Harry Singh bowled just 4.3 overs after suffering a minor injury but is expected to face Essendon on Saturday.
Cullen’s departed coupled with Unmukt Chand returning to the USA opens two batting spots in Greenvale’s top order.
Chand was granted an American visa this week and returned on Saturday morning but is hopeful of returning to Greenvale next summer if he gets another Big Bash League contract.
The Kangaroos’ Second XI also won on Saturday.
Sahil Sharma is the No.3 ranked batsman in the Second XI after scoring 37 runs on Saturday, while Jordan Kosteas made a timely 44 and Gurbaaz Hundal scored 67 in the Dowling Shield.
The wins lifts Greenvale off the bottom of the ladder in both the First and Second XI.
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The Kangaroos jump to 16th ahead of Camberwell and Kingston Hawthorn in the top grade and face Essendon, Footscray, Kingston and Dandenong in the run home.
With four games remaining in the home-and-away season, Shanahan said the club had several boxes it still wanted to tick.
“It’s a great result for the club, the ones and twos winning on the same weekend, it’s something we haven’t been able to do for a long time,” he said.
“We’ve got a focus on what we want to achieve in the last four rounds and now we move onto next week against Essendon, they gave us a fair touch up last year so the boys will be hungry to change that.”
GREENVALE HOPES TO KEEP WORLD CUP WINNER
Greenvale Kangaroos hopes to keep Indian gun Unmukt Chand for the rest of the Premier Cricket season after an impressive debut on Saturday.
Despite a seven-wicket loss to Casey-South Melbourne, Chand showed his class with a rapid 43 from just 30 balls and took 1-32 from seven overs.
He captained India to victory in the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, hitting a century in the final against Australia, and made history earlier this season as the first Indian to play Big Bash League when he debuted for Melbourne Renegades.
He played four matches for the Renegades as well as four for VSDCA outfit Endeavour Hills earlier in the season, making 139 runs at 34.79.
The Kangaroos hope to use his experience and class while he waits for a visa to return to the USA.
Coach Damian Shanahan said playing and training alongside a player his Chand’s calibre would be a massive boost to the club’s young players.
“He looked a million bucks on the weekend, he’s a seriously good player and a calming influence,” Shanahan said.
“He looked a class act, as he did in the T20 against Geelong, and we’re looking forward to him training this week and getting around our young players.
“It depends on when the visa comes through, potentially we could have him for the rest of the year, but we’ll take it one game at a time.
“We had a slower start than we usually would (on Saturday) and he came out and lifted the run-rate pretty quickly but unfortunately didn’t go on.
“You can see if he bats for an extended period of time he’ll be able to post a big score with the ability he’s got.
“We’ve got Camberwell Magpies this week, so we’re looking forward to bouncing back as a team and a unit and he’ll play a big part in that.”
While Chand impressed at the top of the order, Greenvale were in serious trouble at 4-79.
Bernard Kelly rescued the innings with a fighting 47 from 77 balls, continuing his strong season.
Kelly returned to the First XI in the upset win over Carlton, scoring a half-century, and has provided critical middle order runs.
“Bernie is super impressive in the way he goes about it,” Shanahan said.
“He’s carried on that form and when he’s got a hit he’s got busy straight away.
“On the weekend, to get that 40-odd he guided us to some sort of defendable target, which wasn’t easy with wickets falling around him.
“I’m been super impressed by him, he’s really improved his cricket, just the way he gets on with it, his work rate, and I couldn’t speak more highly of him.”
Greenvale posted 8-168 from its 50 overs but couldn’t stop Casey-South Melbourne cruising home in 34.3 overs to claim a bonus point.
The Kangaroos sit last with two wins for the season and take on second-last Camberwell Magpies this weekend.
They also face fellow bottom 10 teams Essendon, Kingston Hawthorn and Dandenong in the final five rounds.
Despite the win-loss record Shanahan sees plenty of positives.
“We’ve got five games of opportunities left as a group,” he said.
“The Seconds had a really good win on the weekend, a great team performance, which is fantastic.
“It was great to see some guys step up and play as a cohesive group and that will hold us in good stead at the selection table.
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“From a ladder position, we’re in a similar position, but we’ve beaten Carlton, we’re in games more often and the belief is starting to get there, we’ve just got to get more consistent.
“The opportunity is there in the last five games and we’ll look to get as much as we can to move into the off-season.
“There has been some really positive signs, (Josh) Trembearth has been fantastic but has tapered off a little bit, Scott Dixon is getting some form with the bat and been good with the ball and Matthew Harrison has obviously been really good as the leader of the pack.”
Trembearth sits eighth overall on the competition run-scorers charts with 421 runs and Tom Cullen is 17th on 328, while Sean McNicholl is the leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps, equal 24th overall.
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