A sure-handed Aaron Maynard has delivered one of the great VSDCA opening-day knocks to lead Altona to a 123-run destruction of Mount Waverley at the Frank Kirk Oval on Saturday.
Maynard consigned the visitors to a death by a thousand cuts with most of his steady 103 not out coming in ones and twos, with only four boundaries recorded in a well-manufactured innings.
Altona coach Mike Davenport said it was a pre-meditated goal of his batsmen in the off-season to become smarter with their shot selection – and Maynard put that desire into action in his first dig of the summer.
“Aaron’s performance was fantastic – one of the best technical knocks I’ve seen in sub-district cricket,” Davenport said.
“It’s something we’ve worked on in pre-season … working the ball and taking singles, then hitting the bad ball when it presents itself.
“To be honest, Mount Waverley bowled pretty well; we just happened to work the ball and play some smart cricket.”
Altona finished with 5-191 off its 45 overs, with the rest of the batsmen simply turning the strike over to Maynard, who was scoring at will.
Opener Tim Collins (31) and new captain Shane Jones (22no) figured in strong partnerships.
Jones, an off-spinner and middle-order bat recruited from Footscray Edgewater, is worth his weight in gold for the A’s, who were crying out for a leader after John Varchione’s departure in the off-season.
“He also brings a really good level of discipline to the club,” Davenport said.
Altona’s bowlers finished the job, rolling Mount Waverley for a mediocre 68.
Speedster Andrew McCammond starred with the ball, taking 5-19 off six overs, including an innings-wrecking three wickets in a single over.
“His first couple of overs were thereabouts and then he just went, ‘Bang!’,” Davenport said. “He pretty much cleaned them up in a five-over spell.”
It was a historic occasion for the A’s, with Craig and Jake Duff becoming the first father-son duo to play together in the club’s first XI.
Next up for Altona is a much sterner test in the form of the premiership favourite and local rival Werribee in a two-dayer at Chirnside Park.
“We’re really clear – Oakleigh, Werribee and Melton, they’re the benchmarks of the competition,” Davenport said.
“We’re nothing until we beat the three of them.
“It will show us where we’re at and where we’ve got to get to, so that’s what’s important for us at round two.”
In other games, Williamstown (6-162) suffered a six-wicket loss to Croydon (4-164), despite 70 from evergreen Craig Sheedy.
Yarraville (214) fell agonisingly short by 10 runs against defending premier Melton (8-224).
