Tara Murray
Yarraville Club is back on top in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division competition.
A powerhouse of the competition, the Clubbers have rebuilt their side since their last premiership in 2017-18.
Just James Damjanovski remains of that premiership side, while Allister Powell, who was the substitute in the grand final is part of this season’s team.
All the hard work of the last few years, rebuilding the side paid off as on Sunday they beat Deer Park in the grand final.
Clubbers captain-coach Mitch Johnstone was thrilled for the club.
“It’s incredible,” he said.
“Our club has come from a long way back. We were seventh a couple of years ago, and fourth last year.
“At stages after Christmas, relegation was a possibility. Then to sneak in and then play two really good finals, very proud of the cricket club.”
Johnstone said in ways they ‘pinched’the flag, with a very different mix to the side. He said he had always been told they were a better two-day side and it came to fruition.
“That two-day stuff is our one-wood and that proved to be the case and once the two days came around, we hit our steps for us to essentially pinch a flag, it is exciting,” he said.
“This group has a really different profile form teams that have won flag previously. Previous teams have had lots of experience, this team has three teenagers, two guys in their early 20s and a 45-year-old.
“There has been a massive turnover across the whole club and a very different list, some really good kids coming through underneath.
“Here and now we celebrate.
The Clubbers took control of the game on day one, bowling the Lions out for 138.
Johnstone said they would have taken that any day of the week.
“We knew that the wicket would get better as well, which it certainly did,” he said.
“Ash Sweet bowled the house down and got us the early breakthroughs and then I was able to apply some pressure and we were able to bowl well in tandem, to keep to 140.”
Sweet and Johnstone took four wickets each for the Clubbers.
The Clubbers got through 22 overs on day one unscathed and at 0-71.
The Clubbers faltered a bit to loss four quick wickets to give the Lions some hope. Johnstone and Damjanovski managed to steady the side.
They got their side across the line, finishing 4-140.
Damjanovski top scored with 52 not out, while Johnstone made 32 not out.
“James played a really tight and calm knock,” he said.
“He certainly likes to take his time James, he is cool in a crisis. Had a hit and miss season but to come good, a testament to him.”
Johnstone was named player of the match. For the captain-coach, who has gone so close to premiership success in the past, it was nice to finally win one, in the end comfortably.
“Ten years of captain-coaching, 20 years of senior cricket, I’ve been bridesmaid a lot and bombed out in finals,” he said.
“I don’t know what to do now.”
