By David Nagel
A well-balanced and varied Tooradin (7/257) attack absorbed a heavy hit from Pakenham’s (9/253) two best cricketers on Saturday to record a meritorious win at Toomuc Reserve.
Pakenham dynamos Chris Smith (98) and Dale Tormey (91) had the game at their mercy; the Lions 1/173 in the 52nd over…requiring 85 runs to win, from 28 overs, with nine wickets in hand.
But the Seagulls refused to surrender, with Mick Sweeney producing a masterclass in captaincy to keep his team in the hunt.
Sweeney bowled seven bowlers; in eight clearly defined combinations throughout the day – all different combinations – and used all seven in those final 28 overs after Kyle Parrott (11-2-29-1) made the key breakthrough of Smith.
The story of the day was Tooradin, but we must acknowledge the incredible unbeaten run of Smith; who was dismissed for the first time in 662 runs on Saturday.
He recent rampage contains scores of 140 not out, 210 not out and 214 not out; mind-boggling to even read out.
He finished the home-and-away season with 989 runs, at an average of 109.89, and faced an incredible 1303 balls.
He faced 32-percent of Pakenham’s 4143 balls this season!
But back to Saturday now and Tooradin’s extraordinary fightback.
Sweeney had the following bowlers at his disposal: Brad Butler (16-3-57-4), Russell Lehman (9-1-33-0), Josh Lownds (15-4-22-0), Peter Sweeney (21-2-74-1), Dylan Sutton (5-0-29-0), Kyle Parrott (11-2-29-1) and Tyler Evans (3-1-4-2).
He kicked off with Butler and Lehman, which was not effective, with the pair going for 1/43 off 10.
The longest bowling partnership of the day was then formed, with Pete Sweeney and Lownds rolling down 23 overs for 63 runs.
Smith and Tormey took 12 runs off Sweney’s first two overs, but he refused to buckle with just three runs coming from his next five.
The Lions pair took 20 off overs 30 to 33; making the score 1/104…and forcing Mick Sweeney to make a second dual change.
Next up was Sutton and Butler.
But pace on the ball, in searing heat, once again proved expensive, with the two quicks going for 37 off seven; the score 1/141 off 40.
Another dual-change was made; with Pete Sweeney and Parrott called into action.
That pair went for 25 off eight; not what was required, before Lehman replaced Sweeney to partner Parrott.
Bingo! That combination went for 17 off eight, with Parrott claiming the rare wicket of Smith; the Lions 2/183 off 56 when Lownds returned to join Parrott.
They were tidy – with 15 runs from six overs – but had no success; the home side was 2/198 after 62 when the next dual change was made.
This one was a game-changer!
Evans and Butler would ball the next six; with the second over of Evans, the 65th of the innings…a key turning point.
He had Tormey caught and bowled just nine runs short of his second century of the season, before Rob Elston (5) was on his way three balls later.
After 65, the Lions were 4/202…now requiring 56 off 15.
The last significant bowling change would take place in the 69th, with Pete Sweeney joining Butler; a new combination for the day, to bowl out the remaining overs (except for one over from Sutton which went for nine).
Sweeney struck immediately, removing Dom Paynter (4), before Stuart Johnson (18) and Jason Williams (24 not out) formed a partnership.
With five overs to go, with Johnson and Williams at the crease, the Lions were 5/229; requiring 29 runs for victory.
The Lions took 16 off the next two, but lost Johnson along the way; 6/245…13 to get with three to go!
Butler – not known for his accuracy – then bowled a magnificent final 12 balls.
He conceded just one run from the 78th over, knocking over the stumps of Sean Gramc (1) along the way, before Sweeney surrendered five singles off the penultimate set of six.
The Lions needed seven to win off the last.
A Williams single was followed by the disruption of Nick Sadler’s stumps, before Marcus Martini (0) was run out first ball.
James Close (1 not out) came to the crease requiring six to win off three balls.
That soon became six to win off the last ball, with Close scoring a single to see the Lions a boundary short of equalling the Seagulls’ score.
The key difference in this match was depth, with the Seagulls having eight worthwhile contributors…the Lions just three.
Smith, Tormey and Williams bowled 64 of 80 overs and took the only six wickets to fall; and made 213 of 253 runs.
They have class the Lions; but that’s leaving way too much, to too few!
Clyde (196) is celebrating its fourth win in six games after the Cougars finished off the job against Kooweerup (177) at Ramlegh Reserve.
Resuming at 5/75, the Demons looked on track for victory with Matt Bright (26) and Adam McMaster (15) building a 46-run stand, before the run out of Bright quickly changed the complexion of the match.
McMaster, Mitch Davey (2) and Nathan Voss (6) were then all gobbled up by off-spinner Daniel Lever (16-2-61-4), leaving the Demons at 9/148 and requiring 49 runs for victory.
They were still hopeful; with class acts Steven Dillon (29) and Jess Mathers (17 not out) at the crease.
But one mistake was all it would take to end the match, with former Demon Mahie Bodahandi (1.2-1-0-2) making it two wickets in eight balls by having Dillon caught by Trevor Bauer.
Bodahandi took the crucial wicket of Chris Bright (44) with the fifth ball of his only over on day one, then had Dillon removed with the second ball of his only over on day two.
Refreshments would have tasted sweet for Merinda Park (321) on Saturday night after the Cobras easily defended their huge total against Cardinia (9/178).
Mat Campbell (13.2-2-36-2) laid his cards on the table early, opening up with himself and Rumesh Ranasinghe (15-4-45-5) in a dual-spin attack.
The tactic paid off, with Alex Nooy (5), Travis Welsh (0) and Morteza Ali (26) all back in the sheds early with the score at 3/32.
Star all-rounder Travis Wheller (74 off 64) was once again the main threat, smashing 12 boundaries in a lovely pipe-opener for finals.
Bradey Welsh (51 not out) then chalked up his first half-century for the season, before Ranasinghe claimed three wickets in six balls to end the game as a contest.
And Devon Meadows (5/355) has ended a five-game losing streak after an encouraging bowling display from youngsters Coby Podd (10-1-47-5) and Tom Rowe (11-2-45-3) against Carlisle Park (232).
Podd and Rowe both took season-best figures as the Panthers shook off the best efforts of Ben Perry (77), Senal De Silva (60) and Kasun Balasuriya (23) through the middle overs.
The Vikings were looking okay at 4/170, but Perry’s dismissal left too much for De Silva to do with an over-heated and under-performing lower order.
Jakeb McVicar (2/35) chimed in with the last two wickets to fall.
A season review of Devon Meadows (5th), Merinda Park (6th), Clyde (7th) and Carlisle Park (8th) – and the two losing semi-finalists – will feature in next week’s Pakenham Gazette.
