By Jonty Ralphsmith
Players from both sides described feeling that Dandenong West had its nose marginally in front from the start of day two.
The target allowed the Bulls to see off good spells without the scoreboard pinch setting in, putting a currency on wickets and the Bandits were never able to take two quick ones in a row.
Keeping the Bandits to 207 was a result of the bowlers digging in during the hottest part of the day.
Parkfield was cruising at 2/157 before Dandy West’s tightness forced Parkfield to take risks in order to accelerate at the back end.
With fielders placed on the rope in batters’ hitting zones, Nuwan Kulasekara and Malinga Bandara took seven of the last eight wickets as their experience came to the fore.
The Bandits ultimately lost 8/50 to finish the day, their 207 always looking a tad under par.
“It’s one of the better games I’ve played in,” skipper Anthony Brannan said.
“Parkfield was super but I felt 8/50 was the difference in the game.
“We were amazing to be able to take those wickets.
“It’s hot and you’re knackered, you’re fatigued, but playing the overs was our mantra and we did that with the ball and I thought it was a mature batting effort today.”
With the bat, Dandy West constructed the perfect two-day innings.
Needing to go at 2.6 runs per over, Dandenong West never panicked, batted the overs out and was always ahead of the required rate.
However, Dandy West still needing 27 and playing conservatively with 10 overs to go gave Parkfield a sliver of hope.
“I was pretty calm, I knew what I had to do and when ‘Kula’ and ‘Mali’ came to the crease they took the pressure off playing shots I can’t play,” set batter Riley Siwes said.
The subsequent overs went for five, four, one, three and five runs respectively before Bandara clattered a four over mid off to pull Dandy West within three of winning and kill any remaining tension.
“All the fielders came into the ring, so I used my experience and calculated the risk,” he said.
“If the ball is in my area I am going to go for it.
“We were one shot away from winning so I took the chance on that ball.”
Siwes played one through a similar area the following over before sparking relief and joy in equal parts as he dabbed the winning single through point.
