By Jonty Ralphsmith
No-one scored more than 40 runs, nor took more than two wickets, yet Tooradin’s grand final rematch with Pakenham was still a compelling spectacle.
Pakenham upset the Seagulls to headline round 2 of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association’s (CCCA) Premier Division, always having its nose in front after a three-wicket opening spell from Tom Tyrell and James Close.
Yet, the ever-gritty Seagulls found a way to stay in the contest until the 38th over of Pakenham’s chase, when Zac Chaplin’s lofted cover drive gave the Lions victory.
Dylan Sutton batted at four after spending most of last season in the lower middle-order and showed positive signs before the off-spin of Jason Williams undid him.
Russell Lehman, meanwhile, was the relative mainstay before drinks, piecing together a well-constructed 40 before his ill-timed dismissal put pressure on the lower order.
But in yet another statement of the Seagulls batting depth, Tyler Evans and Liam Simpson combined for a 58-run partnership to finish the innings and keep Tooradin in the game.
Despite Jack Anning and Williams looking comfortable in a 70-run opening partnership for Pakenham, they were unable to make major inroads into the required run rate, keeping Tooradin in the game once wickets started falling.
Young spinner Cody Mannix broke the game open when he claimed Williams’ wicket, with Dan Evans, Nick Sadler and Anning following soon thereafter.
Mannix and fellow spinner Josh Lownds got through their overs quickly and controlled the pace of the game until Dominic Paynter arrived at the crease and was able to punish the bad balls.
Eventually dismissed thanks to a freak one-handed Evans outfield catch, Paynter wrested control back for Tooradin with an enterprising knock, with Chaplin and Stuart Johnson guiding Pakenham home.
MAJOR TAKEOUTS
**Pete Sweeney’s retirement caused some external question marks about how Tooradin would control the middle overs of their bowling innings, but they look to have found a long-term replacement.
Sixteen-year-old finger spinner Cody Mannix’s form is a promising sign for the Seagulls, following up his two-wicket debut against Merinda Park with another two against Pakenham, which got his team back into the match.
Josh Lownds was chokingly accurate at the other end with 2/21 from eight overs.
**Tooradin looked on the back foot from when Pakenham reduced them to 3/10 in the sixth over, yet found a way to stay in the contest until the last five overs.
The 58-run eighth-wicket partnership was a crucial part of that, with Tyler Evans and Liam Simpson both running hard and transferring the pressure back onto the bowlers to finish Tooradin’s innings. Each struck at more than 80 to help Tooradin manufacture 8/169, with their lengthy stays at the crease and performance under pressure a silver-lining of the loss.
**Renowned as one of the best fielders in the CCCA, Tyler Evans produced an international-standard piece of fielding to dismiss Paynter late in Pakenham’s chase.
The youngster was backing towards the boundary at deep midwicket and stuck one hand up in the air, leaped, catching it with his right arm fully outstretched, before landing just inside the field of play.
**Mick Sweeney’s stay at the crease may have been only brief, but it was enough to show the competition that he is set for another enormous season.
The former Premier Cricketer raced to 15, before whacking one to a ring fielder.
He cut and drove with great elegance entering at number six after drinks and will be looking to build on a 382-run season in 2023-24.
**Anning made a solid start to his captaincy tenure, shuffling his bowlers well during the bowling innings before scoring a patient 38 to guide the first half of the chase and put his team on the front foot.
He played with excellent temperament until his dismissal, an unnecessary hoik to deep midwicket which quickly followed the loss of teammate Dan Evans.
**Paynter was arguably the most impressive batter of the day, scoring a positive 34 off 41 balls, just as Tooradin started applying the pressure.
He arrived after a collapse of 3/0 and punished Mannix and Lownds’ loose deliveries before cashing in when the medium-pacers returned.
**Pakenham’s opening bowlers Tyrell and Close were brilliant with the new ball, bowling disciplined channels which created poor decision-making.
Cal O’Hare and Tom Hussey both chopped on, looking to play a pressure-releasing shot, while Lownds was struck on the pads.
Elsewhere in Premier Division, big first innings scores to Cardinia and Kooweerup have lifted them to round 2 wins over Clyde and Devon Meadows respectively.
Cardinia’s 7/227 was launched by a second consecutive 50-run opening partnership between Alex Nooy (61) and Mark Cooper (36), which Travis Wheller capitalised on with a punchy 66 off 50.
Clyde never threatened the Bulls, with each of their top three facing more than 30 balls and striking at less than 50, not helped by Cardinia recruit Jack Burchill’s accurate spell upfront.
For Clyde, captain Trevor Bauer absorbed the sturdy bowling to make a half-century after opening bowler Max Adams took 3/47.
At Glover Reserve, opener Luke McMaster and Phillip Island recruit Shiran Rathnayake were the chief destroyers for Kooweerup against Devon Meadows.
The pair combined for 127 off just 133 balls before star all-rounder Jess Mathers blasted 36 off 22 at the death to propel Kooweerup to 8-251.
McMaster then took four wickets with the ball, including three in his second spell.
Devon Meadows coach Chris Cleef made a quick 46 but wickets fell too frequently for the Panthers to threaten, despite Jakeb McVicar (48 off 61) and Inzamam Mitchell (35) both playing well.
Lower-order runs to Aidan Whitfield (56) and Scott Pitcher (20) rescued Upper Beaconsfield from 8/104 to a winning total of 167 against Merinda Park.
Recruit Matt Dennerley wreaked havoc for the Cobras, taking four wickets, all in his first spell, but Merinda Park couldn’t finish their work and were made to pay.
Dangerous Upper Beaconsfield opening bowler Daniel Brennan inflicted similar damage to that of Dennerley on Merinda Park’s top-order, claiming 4/19 off eight.
Pitcher capitalised on Brennan’s foundations, claiming the last five wickets of the innings to finish with 5/18 off 6.5.
