HOPPERS Crossing player-coach Darrel Brown has turned back the clock with a fearsome six-wicket haul in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division on Saturday.
The veteran all-rounder produced a marathon 27 overs on a warm day to give the Cats an even-money shot at returning from Bentleigh with a win when play resumeson day two.
Cats president Steve McNamara said there had been no signs this season of the back problems that have plagued the 38 year old in recent years and it all comes back to the hard work he put in during winter.
“To bowl 27 overs for a bloke at his age is phenomenal,” McNamara said.
“The past three years he’s had back-related issues, but he put in a really long preseason at Inbalance gym working on his core and his back.
“His fitness is tremendous, he works so hard behind the scenes and it’s something for the young blokes at the club to look at.”
Brown finished with 6-69. He also had a hand in another, taking a spectacular catch in the slips.
Had it not been for the one-time West Indian international, the Cats might have been looking at a run chase nearing 300, not 243.
“The guy is about six-foot-five and you had to marvel at the blinder of a catch he took,” McNamara said.
“It showed how agile he is and typifies what he puts in to get the best out of himself.”
Dinesh Darshanapriya made it a lethal new ball tandem for the Cats.
The Sri Lankan returned 3-49 off 15.3 overs to continue his stunning start to life at Hogans Road.
“We’ve been so thrilled by his output,” McNamara said.
“Better than what we could have hoped for when he got him over here.”
Asif Jan was the other wicket taker, finishing with an economical 1-17 off nine.
It meant all 10 wickets were taken by players born overseas, under-lining the great success the Cats have with their imported players.
The Cats are confident they have the arsenal in their batting to reach the 244 target.
“It won’t be an easy target,” McNamara said. “We’re relatively confident we can get the runs.
“We think it’s a slightly under par score for their ground, which is conducive to making runs.”
In west B1, Seabrook has a low total of 145 to defend against Avondale Heights at Bruce Comben Reserve.
But the action in the first-versus-second blockbuster between Point Cook and Werribee Centrals never got under way at Galvin Park after the ground was deemed unplayable due to midweek storms.
