By David Nagel
Has undefeated Pakenham (6/218) now made the transition from early-season surprise packet to legitimate premiership contender after a thumping seven-wicket victory over Officer (163) at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday?
It’s a tricky one to answer because, while loaded with top-end class, the Lions were probably the third or fourth seeds heading into the 2022/23 season.
Reigning premier Tooradin remain strong, while the recruitment of Gamini Kumara, and return of Michael Giles, gave Kooweerup the look of being the main challenger to the Seagulls quest for back-to-back flags.
After failing to make finals in 2020/21, the Lions began slowly last season and were knocked out by Cardinia at the semi-final stage earlier this year.
Add in the losses of Zac Chaplin, Troy McDermott, and up-and-coming opening bowler Tom Brennan, and it seemed a formality that the Lions would struggle to be a formidable force this season.
Taking all that on board, it was fair to send them in as fourth seeds!
But some impressive youngsters developed over the off-season, and the recruitment of Nick Sadler from Clyde was another positive to hang their hopes on.
But what we couldn’t, or didn’t, count on was the improvement of three players in particular.
Skipper Dale Tormey has returned to somewhere near his imperious best, while Coach Rob Elston also hustled and bustled during the off-season to provide him with the best opportunity of playing some great cricket this season.
And then there’s Jack Anning.
Long regarded as a good team player…you know…vibrant in the field, lifting spirits when they needed lifting, Anning took one of the biggest steps of his career during the off-season.
Professional coaching from Thilan Samaraweera has ‘taught him how to bat’ and the right-hand opener is having his best first XI season on record.
It was Tormey, Elston and Anning that delivered again for the Lions on the weekend.
Opener Anning (58) saw off the early threat of the new ball, and the loss of partner Chris Smith (10), to share match-winning partnerships of 58 with Tormey (38) and 54 with Elston (40 retired hurt) to lead the Lions to victory with seven wickets in the tank.
Anning plastered six balls to the boundary, and one over the ropes, in a well-balanced performance that put the Lions in control of the contest.
Anning sliced the Bullants most successful bowler, Leigh Boyle (2/36 off 11),twice over slips after tea, before unluckily tickling one down the leg side to end his valuable innings.
Experienced-pair Jason Williams (21) and Sean Gramc (25) then joined forces with Elston to lead the Lions home to their fifth-consecutive victory.
“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised, but our performance has maybe exceeded expectation slightly,” said Lions’ skipper Dale Tormey.
“We always expect to win, we don’t rock up to games thinking that we’re not going to win, we back ourselves every game and that’s shown to be spot on so far.
“It’s been a really good start…we’ve got no complaints with how we’ve started the season.”
Tormey, who took six wickets on day one, was excited for Anning, who continues to dedicate himself to his cricket.
“He’s obviously putting a lot of time and effort in himself, a couple of sessions a week, and when you’re hitting balls with a bloke who is involved in Australian set ups and a lot of international teams, that’s a massive help,” he said.
“He hasn’t changed as a person, even last year when he had massive struggles with the bat, he was still the ultimate club person.
“All last year, this year, he’s there every night, helping out at training, taking warm ups, he never sulks, he hasn’t changed at all.
“The only difference now is he is getting reward for his efforts.”
The Lions are slowly getting to full strength, with opening bowler Paddy Lawson returning through the twos, and Tommy Tyrrell providing a selection dilemma after taking five wickets in A Grade on the weekend.
“I joked with Tom last week, because he’s almost got himself ready, that if he took five-for on the weekend that I would get him back in…and they may have backfired a bit,” Tormey said with a chuckle.
“At times over the last couple of years we’ve struggled to fill those last one or two spots, but this year there’s going to be some tough decisions where well-performing players are going to miss out.
“They’ve done nothing wrong, but a good-quality cricketer will be in that spot instead.”
The Lions host Clyde this week, while Officer faces a tough visit to Tooradin.
RESULTS:
CARDINIA (132) V MERINDA PARK (174)
KOOWEERUP (321) V CLYDE (6/250)
TOORADIN (7/322) v CARLISLE PARK (153)
