Women’s Premier Cricket: Dandenong wins thrilling grand final over Box Hill

Dandenong finished on the bottom on the ladder last season. On Sunday it was crowned premier after defeating Box Hill.

Dandenong shows off the premiership cup. Pic: Chris Thomas, Cricket Victoria.

From last to first ….

Dandenong was the wooden spooner in the Victorian Premier Cricket women’s competition last season.

On Sunday it was crowned premier after fighting back brilliantly to defeat Box Hill in a gripping grand final at the Junction Oval.

Set 182, the Mustangs were 1-105 but collapsed to be all out for 174.

Unsurprisingly, champion Dandenong all-rounder and former Irish international Kim Garth had a substantial say in the turnaround.

The right-arm fast bowler had Anna Lanning caught behind for 60 as she attempted a hook shot.

Kim Garth and Nicole Faltum are jubilant after the final wicket. Pic: Chris Thomas, Cricket Victoria.

In her next over she knocked over Tahlia Meier for three to put some uncertainty into what had been looking a secure run chase.

Late in the match Garth returned to get Box Hill anchor Zoe Griffiths LBW. And in the 49th over she finished off the Mustangs by castling their captain and finals stalwart Danielle Montague for a duck.

Garth captured 4-34 off 9.3 overs to go with her valuable innings of 52 to win the Betty Wilson Medal as player of the grand final.

The Mustangs had started their pursuit with a rollicking opening partnership between Lanning and Rebecca Carter.

Kim Garth receives the Betty Wilson Medal as player of the match.

They raised 50 off 51 balls, unfurling some choice strokes along the way, a cover drive to the boundary from left-hander Carter, a pull for four off Lanning.

Dandenong could build no pressure, not even when Emma “Gags’’ Gallagher was called into the attack in the sixth over, Lanning spearing a drive past mid-off for four.

The right-hander brought up Box Hill’s 50 with a flick to the mid-wicket boundary off Lucy Cripps in the ninth over. When the openers extended their partnership to 70 from 12 overs, thoughts turned to an early finish.

Dandy coach Andy Christie and president Gary Davidson.

But on 77 Carter (25) edged young Dandenong spinner Uvindee Wijesena behind.

Lannings’s half-century came with a boundary down the ground and she had needed only 51 balls to get there. The Mustangs’ 100 came up in the 19th over and while Lanning was there, accompanied by the patient Griffiths, they were untroubled.

Then came Garth’s intervention to restore some balance between bat and ball, Lanning departing for a superb 60 off 67 balls, an innings that carried the sparkle of nine boundaries.

Box Hill No 5 Hayleigh Brennan received let-offs in successive overs, dropped at mid-off and then mid-on.

Dandenong stalwarts Kelly Applebee and Emma Gallagher.

But she was out for 14, caught by Cripps off Gallagher.

A few runs later Tiana Atkinson made a stunning one-handed catch at mid-on to dismiss Lara Shannon (1), leaving Box Hill 5-142.

Dandy captain Nicole Faltam snazzily stumped young Isabel White (4) and when Griffiths went LBW after a doughty 41 (off 97 deliveries, with 2 fours), the Mustangs were down to their tail.

Cripps bowled Holly Spencer for one, Isabella Weber was run out for eight and the premiership belonged to the Panthers when Garth trapped Montague leg-before.

Sophie Strickland, captain Nicole Faltum and Kim Garth.

It was a rousing comeback from Dandenong after the Lanning-Carter union.

Garth was outstanding with her pace and accuracy – “She’ll play for Australia one day and you can quote me on that,’’ Dandy great Brendan McArdle bubbled after the match – and received support from Gallagher (2-32 off 10 overs), Gardner (1-26 off nine), Wijesena (1-35 off eight), Julie Fearns (0-30 off nine) and Cripps (1-13 off three).

Hayleigh Brennan celebrates one of her five wickets for Box Hill.

Garth’s performance answered a grand match from Box Hill fast bowler Brennan, who took two wickets in the last over of the Dandy innings to finish with 5-32 off 10.

Griffiths nabbed 2-22 of 10 as the Panthers scrambled to raise a competitive total.

Maryam Omar with the premiership cup.

Some of their supporters thought they needed 200, but Paul Murray for one was content with 182, declaring they were “on the board’’.

Opener Atkinson hit 33 to take her season aggregate to 499 runs, Garth was run out for 52 and Maryam Omar added a vital 21.

“We as a club couldn’t be any prouder of the girls and Andy (coach Andy Christie) and his coaches,’’ Dandy president Gary Davidson said after the club’s first premiership since 2012-13.

“The semi-final win was amazing – they were down and out and got up – and today Box Hill batted beautifully early and the girls just stuck at it and kept getting wickets.

“I did think we were 25 (runs) light. I think 210 would have been a fair score. And when they (Box Hill) got to 100, we were all worried. Kim got that big wicket of Anna Lanning, the bowlers dried it up a bit and, yeah, it all turned around.’’

Poppy Gardner of the Panthers.

Davidson added: “Three years ago we appointed a new coach and the merger (between the Dandenong men’s and women’s clubs) happened. We had a five-year plan to get to this position and we’ve done it in three. Amazing. We’ve come from last with pretty much the same playing group. That speaks volumes for the coaching staff and the players and their belief in each other.’’

Premiership team: Tiana Atkinson, Lucy Cripps, Kim Garth, Nicole Faltum (c), Kelly Applebee, Maryam Omar, Sophie Strickland, Poppy Gardner, Emma Gallagher, Uvindee Wijesena, Julie Fearns.