By Marcus Uhe
Berwick and Narre South’s pivotal Turf 1 clash in the Dandenong District Cricket Association finished day one on a knife’s edge after a brilliant century from Lions captain-coach Jeevan Mendis.
The 2022/23 Wookey Medal winner who has made a stellar start with both the bat and ball this summer made an unbeaten 122 to guide his team to a winning position, having posted 265 from 78 overs.
The left-hander’s innings included four sixes and nine fours, beginning with his side in trouble at 3/47.
Vineth Jayasuriya’s struggles with the bat this summer continued, removed for just six by Berwick left-armer James Trodd, while promotions for Stephen Brooks and Joel Zietsman did not bare the desired fruit, making 15 and 10 respectively.
Mendis added 69 runs in a partnership with Kyle Hardy and 63 with all-rounder Zac Wilson, sharing the crease with seven teammates in total as the rock in the middle order.
His century comes after a near run-a-ball 71 against Springvale South that proved pivotal in upsetting the Bloods in round five.
Regular wickets from Berwick consistently halted the Lions’ momentum, with the wickets shared amongst the bowling attack.
The seaming trio Trodd, Toby Wills and Jarrod Goodes each took two wickets with Elliot Mathews, Lachlan Brown and Matthew Hague each claiming one.
Berwick’s chase will take place without attacking opening batter Jarryd Wills, with Brodie Herkess taking his place in the line-up.
At Beaconsfield, 121 from Dandenong West youngster Venuk Hemachandra helped the Bulls to 226, despite a four-wicket haul from Tigers’ spinner Ashan Madhushanka.
Madhushanka, the best-performed Tiger thus far this summer, grabbed the key wickets of Anthony Brannan, Bailey Howarth and Hemachandra, but not before Hemachandra made the most of the opening opportunity.
Replacing Shaun Weir, Hemachandra managed his first Turf 1 Hundred on a day where the remainder of his side failed to fire against Beaconsfield’s attacking bowling group.
Nuwan Kulasekara’s 29 and 20 from brannan and Malinga Bandara were the next-highest scores.
Madhushanka moved to the top of the pile for Turf 1 wickets taken this summer while Jake Cutting was tight and dangerous once more, taking 2/30 from 17 overs.
Hallam Kalora Park, meanwhile, is in the box seat against North Dandenong, with an expected future star delivering on promise and expectations.
Wicket-keeper batter Damith Perera crunched his first hundred for the Hawks to help them post 9/279 at Lois Twohig Reserve.
A mainstay in Victorian Premier Cricket outfit Greenvale’s First XI last summer, Perera crafted a brilliant 122 to bolster the Hawks’ score after opening pair Leigh Booth and Ben Hillard were dismissed for minor scores.
Perera and Mahala Udawatte added 84 for the third wicket, dragging the visitors out of early trouble at 2/25, before Austin Fardell joined Perera for an 86-run stand that took him to the verge of the milestone.
Replacing 2020/21 premiership player Ciaron Connolly as the Hawks’ first-choice glove man and top order batter, Perera is viewed as a key component to the Hawks’ immediate and future success, with early returns – excellent glovework and a half-century against Dandenong West – suggesting he will fit the bill ideally for that the Hawks were searching for.
Fardell contributed 26 and Lauchlan Gregson a handy 25 before a shrewd declaration late in the day forced North Dandenong into a difficult late-afternoon batting innings.
Despite having just eight overs to get through, Gregson backed up his batting heroics by removing dangerous Maroons opener Ramneet Dhindsa for one in the second over.
North Dandenong will resume day two at 1/16 with Syed Mehmood and Riley Shaw at the crease.
Former Hawks spinner Charith Keerthisinghe claimed three wickets but was expensive in doing so, with his 12 overs yielding 75 runs.
