By JARROD POTTER
PREMIER CRICKET – Round 17
MOMENTUM heading into the off-season is never a terrible thing as Dandenong (238) looked to excise some demons from a lacklustre year on turf.
Tom Donnell (99) led the charge as he knocked in a 50-run stand with Brett Forsyth (7) and 99 in tandem with Peter Sweeney (36) – the latter coming off a dogged unbeaten half-century the week before.
Donnell had Northcote running to all parts of Bill Lawry Oval en route to his fourth 50-plus score in 2014/15. He was cruelly denied a third century this season as Matt Short (4/60) cleaned him up one shy of the milestone.
From there Dandenong collapsed – losing 6/44 as Panthers were flung back to the dressing rooms instantly.
Captain Dan Doran (38) notched his best score of the season to keep the Panthers at the crease while wickets fell around him though. He would be the last man out – one of Josh Sundberg’s (3/28) three lower-order wickets – as the visitors came unstuck in the dying overs of the day.
James Wilcock (1/6) made the important breakthrough before stumps as he sent Lindsay Hassett (0) back to the sheds with an LBW decision to his name.
Womens Premier 1st – Round 18 (One day)
STEAMROLLING the opposition, Dandenong Lions (3/40) cantered home with ease after dissecting Plenty Valley’s (39) batting.
Lethal first up spells from Emma Gallagher (4/9) and Julie Hunter (2/19) had the visitors on the ropes at 5/25 and from there it only became more horrific.
Taking plenty of scalps, Primrose Wohlers (2/7) joined the party to keep the wickets falling in clumps. Gallagher returned to finish out her overs and claimed the scalp of Jessica Karamoushou (2) en route to an impressive four-wicket haul from her 10 overs.
Wanting to boost their percentage with finals on the horizon, the Lions went for the slog from the get-go – taking only 10.1 overs to smash the 40 needed for victory. Alana King (12) and Erica Kershaw (9) were the best in the slender chase.
Third place Dandenong faces Box Hill next Sunday.
