ALTONA’S gut-wrenching last over loss to Roxburgh Park-Broadmeadows typified how its Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association season has played out to date.
Inconsistent was the first word that sprang to mind for A’s president Neil Birthisel when asked to describe his club’s up and down start to the summer.
Above all, he is lamenting the lack of a spread of contributors from week to week, and he says his experienced team leaders can do more to get the A’s out of their fluctuating form.
And, so it was again in the three-wicket loss to the Falcons at Frank Kirk Oval on Saturday: too much of the workload was carried by too few.
The Falcons made them pay by chasing down the target of 248 with four balls to spare.
“We probably should’ve won that game,” Birthisel told the Weekly.
“We let it slip and couldn’t get the killer blow. We haven’t been able to get it all together. It comes down to our leaders showing the way.”
The A’s made a more-than-competitive 6-247 from their 80 overs. The bulk of the runs were provided by Aaron Maynard (132 not out) and Lee Elmore (62).
For Maynard, who will represent the VSDCA against the Victorian Country Cricket League on Sunday, it was a return to the form that got him team of the year honours last season.
“It was a fantastic effort,” Birthisel said.
“Wickets were falling around him and he was still there at the end.”
The A’s backed their bowlers to defend the big total.
They had the Falcons in all sorts of trouble on 5-68 with rookie left-arm orthodox spinner Stefan Sidari dominant with 4-39 off 15 overs. Elmore, an all-rounder who has been one of the A’s’ best with the ball this season, toiled away for 2-73 off 21 overs on a warm day. Unfortunately for the A’s, that’s where the assistance ended; they would be the only two wicket takers.
Sidari, a young gun in his first season at the level, was the shining light for the A’s on an otherwise tough second day.
“He’s taken his chance and run with it,” Birthisel said.
“This is testament to our two senior coaches (Mark Mitchell and Michael Davenport) who came in and put everyone on a level field.”
The A’s will face long-time foe Werribee at Frank Kirk Oval on Saturday.
The two sides play annually for the Paul Jenkins Shield.
Williamstown is licking its wounds after a shock 144-run loss to Kingston Saints away at Walter Galt Reserve.
The Seagulls tumbled to sixth on the ladder. Yarraville suffered a similar fate, freefalling to seventh after a 67-run loss to Werribee at Chirnside Park. Not even a glorious 108 from Matthew Harrison could save the Eagles from defeat.
VTCA
Senior division: Old Mentonians v Yarraville Club 8-337 (J Baker 123 M O’Keefe 110 A Cullen 32 A Contessa 25), Spotswood v Airport West-St Christophers 251 (A Dickinson 4-73).
North division: Altona North 2-14 v Doutta Stars 105, Footscray United v Westmeadows 6-201 (D Silva 3-61), Sunshine Druids 158 (A Leetet 3-31 A Walshe 3-38) v Williamstown CYMS 1-21, Keilor Park 130 (M O’Brien 7-37) v Laverton 0-7.
North A1: PEGS 0-6 v Seddon 153, Taylors Lakes 1-1 v Altona Roosters 178 (D Pham 55 H Uppal 27)
West B1: Barkly Street Uniting 225 (C Danaher 108 W Wright 53) v St Andrews, Footscray ANA 192 (S Kukucka 52 J Wills 27 R Khwaja 5-41) v Kingsville Baptists 0-41 (R Khwaja 27no).
