By Marcus Uhe
Narre South captain-coach Jeevan Mendis does not want his side to abandon their new proactive approach to their cricket despite their up-and-down opening weeks of the Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 1 season thus far.
Two poor performances with the bat proved detrimental in heavy losses to Beaconsfield and Dandenong West, while they got the better of Springvale South and bowled extremely well against Buckley Ridges before losing control of the innings in the later overs.
In Mendis’ first season with the dual responsibilities, he has encouraged his side to put the pressure back on the opposition’s bowlers.
It worked with great effect against the Bloods, where they combated Jarryd Straker and blew the economical spinner’s often miserly economy rate to beyond six, but saw them post just 101 against the Bulls and 131 against the Tigers.
Through four innings this season, only North Dandenong has scored less total runs, with the Lions averaging just 160 per innings, having lost all 10 wickets three times.
The 2022/23 Wookey Medal winner said his teammates need to understand when to push the right buttons within games.
“Our natural game is to dominate but according to the situation, it could be different,” Mendis said.
“Sometimes you need to play a defensive game if you (face) a good bowler.
“Whenever I get the chance, I use the full opportunity to dominate the bowler.
“The main thing is to put the bowler under pressure; make him make the mistake without staying there and using so many balls without scoring, and put themselves under pressure.”
Morteza Ali’s return to Strathaird Reserve has not been the homecoming that he or his teammates would have wanted, with just three ducks and an innings of two to show for his efforts with the bat, despite some handy overs with the ball.
But he is not alone in his struggles at the top of the batting card as Narre South adjusts to Mendis philosophies, with Kyle Hardy, Vineth Jayasuriya, Stephen Brooks and Riley McDonald all yet to pass 50.
Mendis has the club’s only half-century of the summer, an excellent 71 against Springvale South that had the desired outcome of putting the Bloods’ bowlers under immense pressure when defending 227.
He’s asked his fellow batters to shoulder more of the load.
“I need them to take more responsibility,” he said.
“It’s been tough for me, staying and playing the anchor role all the time, it doesn’t work.
“We have good talent but it’s yet to come out of them.
“I’m still waiting for someone to play a big innings. I always say to the players ‘you people have to get a good start and they need to carry on, then it’s easy for the others to play around them’.
“I think if they get their confidence (up) and (have) confidence from their coach or captain, I want say ‘don’t fear to fail – it’s guaranteed to fail, but if you think positively and if your coach and captain backs you and you play your natural gane, it will come out’.
The Lions’ two-day component of the season begins this weekend against Berwick.
