By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong West (2/44) has edged ahead at the halfway mark in the battle for premiership favouritism against Heinz Southern Districts (149).
The Bulls sent HSD skipper Craig Hookey back to the sheds inside two overs of its Turf 2 Dandenong District Cricket Association clash, with Peter Atkinson setting the tone with the ball.
The veteran pace bowler didn’t concede a run off his first three overs, with two early wickets putting the onus on established players Brent Patterson and Triyan De Silva.
The first six scoring shots being boundaries was indicative of both Anthony Brannan’s unashamedly attacking captaincy and the quick outfield at KM Reedy Reserve.
Runs started flowing as both looked set for a long stay; partnership batting the key on a rare hot and fatiguing day for bowlers across the southeast.
So tight was Atkinson and offside-dominant was Patterson that Brannan at one stage set an 8-1 offside field, but the Cobras opener continued finding gaps and keeping the score ticking along.
At the other end, De Silva was typically punishing when he went hard, a lift over square leg for six off Nuwan Kulasekara highlighting his form.
Just as that pair looked like wresting momentum back, though, Patterson holed out on the leg-side boundary to spinner Malinga Bandara.
It was a relative procession for the visitors from there.
Bandara set a trap to get Scott Brown soon thereafter and also deceived Anuda Akmeemana, Jett Kearney and Liam Jansen to finish with 5/43 off 18 overs.
In between that, leggie Riley Siwes, who copped tap last week, got the big wicket of De Silva lbw and built pressure in his 10 overs.
The middle-lower order showed less resistance than in previous weeks for HSD, bowled out for 149.
Needing to face 27 overs to finish day one, the dismissals of Matt Collett and Nathan Power had the Bulls on the ropes early before Shaun Weir (31 not out, off 83) and Brannan (8 not out, off 60) batted for stumps, Dandy West currently 2/44 off 27.
Meanwhile, Keysborough has put itself in a position to threaten Parkmore’s quest for finals.
Led by a gritty 46 to Christo Otto, the Knights reached 166, with Anant Singh and Hennadige Fernando also making handy contributions later in the piece after opener Anir Motupalli took the shine off the new cherry.
Lefty Dilum Sisantha continued his strong form for the Pirates with three wickets but, with his team missing its big-hitting skipper due to suspension, the game is in the balance.
At Parkfield, spinner Nick Jeffrey spun a web around Narre Warren, taking 5/12 off his 17 overs to help bowl the Magpies out for just 88.
A 50-run opening partnership set the platform with the blade, with the hosts 22 runs behind with seven wickets in hand, which will enable the Bandits to chase an outright win.
The other game remains reasonably in the balance, with Cranbourne having bowled Lyndale out for 135 and sitting at 5/97 at stumps.
Despite needing just 39 to win with five in the shed, the Eagles will know there is still work to do, having lost six wickets early on day two needing a similar number of runs to win against HSD in round five.
Harsaroup Singh, one of the overnight not out batters, was the pick of the bowlers, picking up three wickets at an economy rate of under two.
Lyndale must win to keep its finals hopes alive.
Day One Summary: Parkfield 3/66 v Narre Warren 88, HSD 149 v Dandenong West 2/44, Cranbourne 5/97 v Lyndale 135, Parkmore v Keysborough 166.
Ladder: Dandenong West 52, HSD 45, Parkfield 45, Cranbourne 36, Parkmore 32, Lyndale 30, Narre Warren 21, Keysborough 15.
