SPOTSWOOD has earned a lifeline in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division.
The Woodsmen resurrected their survival prospects with a stunning two-wicket win over Bentleigh at Bentleigh Reserve on Saturday.
Woodsmen coach Haydn Fletcher told the Weekly his side would enter the final round within touching distance of the safety spots.
“The guys have got a little bit of a sniff now,” he said. “We’re only about 30 runs behind avoiding relegation.”
Simply put, if the Woodsmen beat top-four side Greenvale at McLean Reserve in the last round and third-last South Caulfield loses to top side McKinnon, they will survive. Should both the Woodsmen and South Caulfield incur an identical result — a win or a loss — it will come down to percentage. If the Woodsmen lose and South Caulfield wins, they are heading back to the north division next summer.
What it all means is every single ball will count for the two clubs in the season’s last match.
The Woodsmen got their heads above water with a stirring win over Bentleigh.
Set an imposing 258 for victory, they reached the target eight down in the extra overs gained from Bentleigh opting to declare on day one.
Heroic performances from Matt Leddin (97 not out) and David Buysen (38) will be remembered for some time at The Avenue.
Meanwhile, Yarraville Club did the neighbouring Woodsmen a favour, downing South Caulfield by 61 runs at the Walker Oval.
The Clubbers made 281 and defended it to perfection, rolling the visitors for 220.
VTCA
Senior division: Yarraville Club 281 (A Cristofaro 71 J Baker 55 A Contessa 40 A Cullen 36) and 1-67 (M Williams 30 MP O’Keefe 25no) d South Caulfield 220 (ES Bronca 3-43 R Sherlock 2-24 A Contessa 2-33). Bentleigh 9-257dec (M Leddin 4-64 T Johnstone 2-41 A Dickinson 2-61) lt Spotswood 8-263 (M Leddin 97no A Sharma 41 D Buysen 38 AP Robertson 33 A Dickinson 25).
North division: Altona North 6-216dec d Keilor Park 99 and 3-199. Footscray United 164 (S McKay 40 DC Silva 30 T Jeffrey 26) and 3-47 lt Tullamarine 332 (D Scott 183; S McKay 3-55 T Jeffrey 3-132). Laverton 118 (AC Williamson 29 B Sheean 25) and 98 (B Sheean 39 M Logan 31no) lt Doutta Stars 123 (M Keenan 4-47 M O’Brien 2-15) and 2-95. Strathmore 239 (A Walshe 4-55 A Leetet 2-63) and 3-30 (A Walshe 3-14) d W’town CYMS 100 and 168 (J Kitchen 36no B Davies 32).
North A1: Sunshine United 164 (L Lewis 4-29 H Uppal 2-39) lt Altona Roosters 169 (D Pham 45no A Peters 33) and 6-120 (A Peters 28no D Pham 28). St Albans 4-352 d Seddon 172 (A Sandaruwan 55 TJ Grant 45 DC Udugamasooriya 41no).
West B1: Footscray ANA 273 (SA Kukucka 133 J Wills 50; TR Cullum 4-59 J Buttigieg 3-63 M Dorricott 2-26) and 6-185 (SA Kukucka 67 J Everest 41 N Lawriw 25no; J Buttigieg 2-18) d St Andrews 121 (S Krygger 44; J Wills 5-21 L Nuredini 5-44). Sunshine YCW 9-265 (S Johnson 3-26 P Ward 2-19 C Whittaker 2-54) d Barkly Street Uniting 178 (L Danaher 44 J Tran 41). Werribee Centrals 5-224dec (D Shanahan 2-18) and 9-216 (G Semerzidis 3-14 S Levic 3-34) d Kingsville Baptists 101 (RN Khwaja 53no).
