By Marcus Uhe
Brett Forsyth’s incredible year in Victorian Premier Cricket has continued for Dandenong with the Panthers skipper hitting a fourth hundred for the season on Saturday.
Batting the entire day at Geelong Cricket Ground against a highly-touted opponent, Forsyth anchored the innings with an unbeaten 122, making it hundreds in back-to-back rounds, as his side posted 9/267 from 90 overs.
Dandenong will have the option of continuing to bat at the beginning of next weekend’s second day, having finished day one nine wickets down, affording Forsyth the opportunity to press-on.
He now has 771 runs to show for his name in a remarkable season, leading the club in a new era under new coach and close mate in Tom Donnell, after a difficult few seasons for the club prior to 2023/24.
Unfortunately for the skipper, his teammates failed to match his exploits with the bat, with no other batter passing 50.
In a new role at the top of the order, Sam Newell hit a brisk 40 with seven fours, but that was as close as anyone came.
Newell and Forsyth added 69 for the first wicket until the wicketkeeper chipped a catch to cover off the left-arm wrist spin of Callum Stow.
Forsyth then did the bulk of the scoring in a 58-run partnership with Dhanusha Gamage, who managed 17 before falling LBW.
A 56-run stand for the eighth wicket, between Forsyth and Vishwa Ramkumar, could prove vital in the context of the season, the two having joined forces with the visitors in strife at 7/210.
Forsyth’s innings keeps Dandenong’s slender dreams of qualifying for finals afloat, should the visitors successfully defend the total next week against the fourth-placed Geelong side.
A win could lift the Panthers to as high as ninth, depending on other results around the competition, adding extra significance to the final round matchup against bottom-placed Greenvale at home.
Their challengers for eighth place, currently occupied by Fitzroy Doncaster, include Footscray, Northcote and St Kilda.
Fitzroy Doncaster is struggling after the opening day against Greenvale, while Footscray is on the back foot against Ringwood, with star batters Dylan Brasher and Travis Dean already dismissed in their run chase.
Northcote is facing a significant chase against Camberwell next week, and an undermanned St Kilda will need to bowl at its best to defeat Frankston Peninsula.
