By Marcus Uhe
A team-first approach and a greater focus on roles within the playing XI is pushing Parkmore back into Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 2 contention this summer.
Having survived a one-wicket thriller against Cranbourne in round five to keep its unbeaten run alive, the Pirates join Coomoora as the only sides yet to be downed in Turf 2 action thus far.
Despite recruiting a number of new faces into the playing XI, from opening bowler Ankit Saxena, to wicketkeeper Josh Tonna and all-rounder Satheesh Fernandu, there is no dispute or conjecture about responsibilities in the senior side that has enjoyed a brilliant start to the new season, according to new captain-coach Niranjen Kumar.
“We know what everyone’s role is in the team, we identified that pretty quickly,” he said.
“In previous years we’d gone out on a reach and said ‘can you do a job for us?’, so this year we’ve gone back to asking what people really want to do and where they can add value, and it’s worked so far.
“It’s also helped our older brigade find a new lease to help the team.
“It’s bringing a squad mentality where anyone can step in and bowl 12 overs if needed, or hang in and build a partnership.
“So far, it’s worked in our favour.
“We scraped through with a win on the weekend which was a tight one but overall we’re happy.”
Saturday’s contest with Cranbourne went down the wire, as the Pirates hung on for a one-wicket win at Frederick Wachter Reserve.
An excellent bowling effort meant they needed 160 for victory, but Cranbourne’s spinners ensured the chase would reach the second-last over.
The Pirates offered no width whatsoever in a disciplined bowling display that made finding runs increasingly difficult for Cranbourne’s batters in the first innings.
It was a deliberate ploy from the Pirates, believing unrelenting pressure is the key in bringing batters’ downfalls in the pursuit of 10 wickets.
Opening pair Harrison Carlyon and Cameron Kelly looked sound in an opening partnership of 39 runs before Carlyon cut the first ball of Kumar’s spell to gully.
The wickets of Dean McDonell, Sukhjit Singh and Harsaroup Singh all followed in quick succession as the Eagles fell to 4/50.
Kelly offered the most resistance at the other end while wickets fell around him, but the cycle of new partners saw the visitors fail to build partnerships.
Kelly eventually perished for a well-made 40 and when Ketan Baskhi and Marty Kelly departed soon after, the Eagles were in major trouble at 8/112.
Vital contributions from Tim Fathers (18 not out), Alex Hollingsworth (10) and Clint Ayers (13 not out) pushed the total to 159, a tricky total given the spin and variation provided by the centre wicket.
Each of Parkmore’s bowlers finished with economical figures, with four of the six used conceding less than four runs per over.
Kumar was intelligent with his use of the bowlers, bringing his frontline quicks Saxena and Fernandu back into the attack when Cranbourne appeared to be building momentum.
The pair finished with two wickets apiece while the captain took three.
Fernandu backed-up his bowling performance by anchoring the chase with a pivotal 63 at the top of the Parkmore order.
He added 59 for the opening wicket with Kyle Gwynne before Gwynne and Ben Graham both fell to Cranbourne’s returning leg-spinner Bakshi in quick succession.
Fernandu became Harsaroup’s Singh’s first victim at 3/94 and without their rock, the Pirates suddenly found themselves in troubled waters.
Josh Tonna, Ammar Bajwa and Johann Brohier all fell in quick succession to Singh and Carlyon, as Parkmore’s position of ascendency appeared squandered at 6/124.
The tension rose even further when Kumar fell for seven, just three runs shy of the target, to leave his side nine wickets down, with numbers 10 and 11 at the wicket.
Thankfully for Kumar, a boundary from Avisha Wilwalaarachchi with seven deliveries remaining saw his side home, joining the Roos as the only other side yet to lose in Turf 1.
Kumar said he “always” had confidence in his tail, not wavering in his faith despite the predicament.
“We bat quite a way down to the end,” he said.
“It was unfortunate that me going out added to the pressure but overall, three runs (to go), we were confident.
“There was a close LBW shout for the 10th wicket but it wasn’t given.
“They chose to bowl a leg spinner in the last over so we thought we had a chance with the field in.”
Singh finished with 3/30 for Cranbourne and Bakshi 3/35, with Carlyon not far behind with 1/27.
Parkmore and Coomoora will put their undefeated runs to the test this week when they square-off at Coomoora Reserve.
