By Nick Creely
“THEY just make batting look so easy.”
“Give them a baggy green.”
“They are the greatest duo in club cricket history.”
These are just some of the remarks bandied around the traps of Casey Fields on Saturday, as Steven Spoljaric and Matthew Chasemore put on a display of batting as remarkable as it sounds.
The Eagles champions, who both have distinguished Premier Cricket resumes, came in at a shaky 4/28 late last week, before plundering a mind-blowing, and unbeaten, 308-run partnership, giving the Eagles a colossal six-wicket victory against a shell-shocked North Dandenong.
It has now become the highest partnership for the fifth wicket in Eagles history and is surely in calculations for an all-time DDCA record.
Spoljaric (158 not out), the three-time Alan Wookey medalist, is now averaging 311 in Turf 1 this season, and has now scored two consecutive centuries.
Overall, it was the star all-rounder’s 14th Turf 1 century, and if Saturday’s ominous form is any indicator, there are plenty more left in the tank.
Spoljaric was utterly devastating, with his cover-driving in full force, as he toyed with an opposition that could only do so much.
He particularly enjoyed the off-spinner Michael De Kauwe (0-81 off 11 overs), who seemed to overpitch to him regularly, resulting in some spectacular and expansive long-hitting down the ground.
Last year’s Wookey winner, Chasemore (148 not out), was simply majestical with his forceful square of the wicket shots.
Despite having a slightly unconventional style of batting, ‘Cheeks’ just keeps churning out big scores.
Only last Wednesday, Chasemore played a brutal knock of 87 in their Twenty20 clash against Narre Warren.
The left and right hand combination seemed to unsettle a stunned North bowling unit, and eventually the game was called off with 24 overs still left to play.
They must now surely be keeping their phones close to them, because a call from Australian chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns is surely not too far around the corner.
