By Marcus Uhe
Buckley Ridges champion Daniel Watson has marked his return to the world of the Dandenong District Cricket Association with a trademark big-hitting innings to help power his side to an important victory over Narre South.
In his first game of Turf 1 cricket since the 2022/23 grand final loss, Watson crunched 69 runs from 37 deliveries with his powerful contribution helping to dig his side out of trouble in the middle of the innings.
Watson was the sole Buckley batter to pass 50, after a number of starts from his teammates earlier in the card.
Roshane Silva had added 51 for the third wicket with Jayson Hobbs, picking up singles and rotating the strike in a patient partnership but their attempts to lift the strike rate against spinning pair Jeevan Mendis and Morteza Ali brought their demise.
The duo had immediate success with their flight and change of pace, and they combined to pressure the Buckley batters into mistakes.
Silva was dropped in the outfield by Stephen Brooks and attempted to reverse sweeps leading to LBW shouts in the 33rd over, the second of which bringing his dismissal, with Hobbs joining him back in the sheds after edging behind to Joel Zietsman.
The hosts were meandering at 5/121 in the 34th over shortly after Watson arrived at the wicket, and it didn’t take long for him to rediscover his touch, hitting Zietsman for six on just his fifth delivery of the afternoon, and Ali for another on his 10th.
He finished the innings with seven sixes and three fours in an effortless display of hitting set to send shivers down bowlers’ spines.
The Bucks reached 7/233 from their 45 overs before dismissing Narre South for 181 in reply.
Narre South’s chance began promisingly with Kyle Hardy and Vineth Jayasuriya adding 45 for the opening wicket before losing 3/3 in 11 deliveries as momentum deserted them in a flash.
Jayasuriya fell to Prav Chahal for 27 and Hardy and Ali both departed in Sanka Dinesh’s opening over of finger-spin to bring two fresh batters to the wicket.
Wicketkeeper Riley McDonald played his shots in a counter-punching innings of 25, before he and Adam Snelling both fell in quick succession to put momentum back in blue.
Mendis’ wicket for 26 at 6/113 marked the beginning of the end for the Lions, unable to muster a challenge to the target despite some late contributions.
Chahal finished with 4/33 from nine overs in his second game at Buckley as he continues to impress in a new environment.
North Dandenong, meanwhile, is on the board in decisive fashion, having inflicted Dandenong West’s first loss of the summer at Lois Twohig Reserve.
Imran Laghmani’s run-a-ball century took the Maroons to 202 before an excellent bowling performance dismissed the Bulls for 119.
Laghmani took the attack to Malinga Bandara, hitting the leg-spinner for a handful of boundaries on his way to triple figures in a solo effort, as none of his teammates could muster more than 20.
Laghmani backed up his efforts with the bat, with the ball, taking 3/12 including the crucial wicket of Riley Siwes, who top scored for Dandenong West with 35.
Dandenong West’s run chase never got going, falling to 4/39 early in proceedings and losing their final five wickets for 29 runs.
Randeep Sahota took two early wickets inclduing the dangerous Shaun Weir to put the visitors on the back foot early, with Anthony Brannan making just three on his return to action.
Sahota took 2/13 and recruit Charith Keerthsinghe joined Langmani with three wickets himself
At Berwick, Springvale South’s Forsyth brothers were instrumental in the Bloods’ second win of the year, with opening batter Mitch beginning the year in excellent touch on a personal front.
Mitch made 74, his second half-century from two opportunities, and put on 139 for the second wicket with brother Cameron to help their side chase Berwick’s total of 213 within 41 overs.
Cameron hit 89 top score for his side, which reeled in the target with eight wickets in hand.
Berwick reached 213 thanks to half centuries from Jake Hancock and Michael Wallace, and a quick 45 from Jordan Cleland.
Hancock and Wallace added 90 for the third wicket before Hancock lost his wicket to former Prahran premiership teammate Nick Boland.
Wallace reached 60 but lost his wicket while attempting to lift the run rate, skying a catch off Josh Dowling in the innings’ latter overs.
Dowling took excellent figures of 4/34 from seven overs to be Springvale South’s best with the ball.
