In a premiership race so tight, with just six points separating first from fourth in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 2 competition, Cranbourne might have landed the point of difference to put them over the top.
Explosive quick Julius Sumerauer announced his arrival in Turf 2 with a bang on Saturday, exhibiting his raw pace and skill in a six-wicket haul against St Mary’s.
Through a connection with countryman and Eagles captain-coach Harrison Carlyon, the 23-year-old arrived at Casey Fields in recent weeks and instantly assumed the lead role in Cranbourne’s attack.
Having spent the first portion of the Southern Hemisphere’s summer in New Zealand, he was lured to Melbourne by Carlyon, a long-term friend having climbed the junior ranks together in their home country, on the promise of First XI cricket in blue and gold.
“He’s a class act, a very talented bowler with a lot of pace about himself,” Carlyon said of his new strike bowler.
“On these sorts of wickets, and the wicket we had on the weekend, it was pretty dead, quite low, but with that extra pace that you don’t see at all in this league, it’s such a great asset for us to have, to be able to run through people and beat them purely for pace.
“I (didn’t) feel like we were anything short, but when the opportunity comes up to add a cricketer like that who is something completely different from anything else in the competition – bowls gas, is a very talented batter on his day, and can do a lot of damage to a team, you can’t turn that down.
“He moves it around as well but he is very sharp, especially when he gets into his rhythm – I would say we’re talking mid 130/135 (kilometres per hour).”
The towering tall with 38 T20 internationals under his belt for Jersey took 6/25 in just his second game in Melbourne, including St Mary’s entire top four, as the chief destroyer of the Saints’ innings.
St Mary’s lasted just 50 overs, succumbing for 112, with Carlyon delighted with how his new seamer executed.
Four of his wickets were earned bowled, with the other two pinning the batters in front of the stumps.
“He came in with a new ball and swung the first few and beat the bat,” Carlyon said.
“I was at slip and saw one of the openers turn around, and he looked at me and I thought ‘he doesn’t look like he wants a piece of this at all.’
“All of a sudden he bowled a couple of short ones, pushed them back and then just knocked the stumps over.
“To be able to do that, I don’t think there’s anybody in this league that can do that; put someone on the back foot and have the pace to go through them.
“That’s not all he’s got in his locker – he does move the ball around and swings the ball both ways when he gets into a rhythm.
“On a completely dead wicket to be able to do that is such an asset.”
The Eagles are eyeing an outright victory on day two, having taken the first innings points on day one.
Harrison Carlyon, Cameron Kelly and Hayden Lamb batted briskly to reach 1/163 from 30 overs at stumps, with the captain-coach leading the way, unbeaten on 91 at stumps.
Cranbourne has found its groove this summer, winning the last three contests and firmly ensconced in the premiership race.
Blending patience with aggression and picking the correct moments to adopt the right approach is proving vital, in concert with a strong commitment to excellence at training.
The additional four points for an outright win this weekend would be a game changer in the premiership race, and could even move the Eagles to first place ahead of the Christmas break, pending Parkmore’s contest with Narre Warren.
“We just want to keep winning games of cricket – whether that’s a normal way or we go well and end up with an outright, great, but were not setting out to win at outright, we’re taking each ball at a time and seeing where we are come the end of day one, and then day two as well,” Carlyon said.
“There’s not much difference between first and fourth, there’s only six points.
“The more points we can get away from fifth place, the better.”
