HOPPERS Crossing has skittled Keilor for a measly 65 and scooped up the first-innings points in an action-packed opening day of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division at Hogans Road Reserve on Saturday.
The Cats backed their bowlers to get the job done, winning the toss and electing to field.
The new-look bowling attack stamped their authority from the outset.
The charge was led by Cats’ import Tawalampolage Darshanapriya.
The former first class player and Sri Lanka A representative showed why Cats president Steve McNamara was so keen to get him to Hogans Road.
Darshanapriya produced a devastating 15 overs to finish with 6-28.
“I targeted him through an exploration of results overseas,” McNamara said.
“He had some pretty good results and we scoped him from there. We’re really pleased to have him.
“He does a fair bit off the wicket and in the air as well.”
The whole Cats’ attack was sharp.
Darrel Brown, the veteran player-coach, attacked the crease with a vigour not seen in some time.
He got 2-21 off seven overs, including the prized scalps of Syed Ali Hussain and Aaron Mato.
“That was the best that he’s bowled for three or four years,” McNamara said.
“He is over some niggling injuries and was really steaming in and bowling quickly.”
The change bowlers played their part for the Cats too.
Englishman Tom Brett, the second of the Cats’ imports, and medium pacer Travis Waring, a regular in the seconds in recent seasons who deserved his step up in grade, both tied up an end.
Brett was super impressive with a miserly 1-1 off seven overs, including the big wicket of Keilor skipper Danny Law.
“The batsmen were very cautious about him,” McNamara said.
Just as impressive was the Cats’ exploits in the field.
Two highlight-reel catches, the first on the dive in the slips by Brown, the second a run-and-catch in the outfield by Darshanapriya, set the tone for the day. “To the boys’ credit, they were exceptional in the field,” McNamara said.
“Darrel took a screamer at second slip to his right and ‘Danish’ took one of the best outfield catches I’ve seen for a long time, coming in off the boundary at full tilt and diving forward to get his hands under the ball.
“That was a real focus of the day and it put a lot of pressure on.”
The Cats passed the target two down to claim first-innings points. They encountered a few hurdles on the road to stumps to be 7-111, keeping Keilor in the calculations for a reversal of the result.
“That was the disappointing aspect late in the day when we dropped a couple of wickets,” McNamara said.
“A couple of the boys gave away their wickets a little cheaply.”
Chris Henry, who has been frustrated by limited top-level opportunities in recent seasons, grabbed the opening spot with both hands.
Henry fell one run short of a half century, but not before guiding his side to a handy lead, which stood at 46 at stumps. “At the end of last season, he had a heart to heart with ‘Browny’,” McNamara said.
“He said, ‘I want to make that opening spot mine’ and, to his credit, didn’t missed a beat pre-season, worked his tail off and it was a just reward for him.”
