Yarraville Club has made a habit of finding new ways to win premierships in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division, but none has been as dramatic as its 37-run grand final triumph over South Caulfield at Crofts Reserve at the weekend.
Clubbers top-order batsman Justin Baker quipped that it felt like he had walked off the set of a soap opera after four days of tense, drama-filled action led to an incredible seventh flag in nine seasons for his club.
PICTURE GALLERY: Yarraville Club wins premiership
Baker was just pleased the scriptwriters remembered to include a fairytale ending for his club. “This grand final was like the writers of Home and Away got a handle on it,” he said amid the post game celebrations.
“We’ve got a bloke [Yarraville Club’s Aaron Mato] in hospital with his missus for the birth of his first child [a boy named Khan]; another guy [South Caulfield’s Leon Gouzenfiter] has gone into hospital with appendicitis and had his appendix removed on Saturday night.”
Yarraville Club made a slow start to be 7-72 on day one. The Clubbers eked out 169 on the back of a middle-order revival from Anthony Cristofaro (66) and Adam Contessa (29).
South Caulfield’s chances were boosted by a hamstring injury to Clubbers captain Emmett Bronca.
When Bronca broke down, South had eroded a quarter of the runs needed for a first innings lead with only one wicket down, but it only served to galvanise the Clubbers.
Man of the match Richard Sherlock stepped up to take a five-wicket bag to have South all out for 134. But there was still plenty of time – two days – for the tide to turn.
The Clubbers were backed into a corner at 5-56 with just 10 batsmen available on the third day as Mato tended to his wife in the maternity ward. Enter veteran Michael O’Keefe, who steadied the ship with 49. O’Keefe not only provided much-needed runs but ensured Mato got a chance to bat on the fourth day, albeit on two hours’ sleep. Mato played a valuable role late in the innings as the Clubbers made 134, setting South a target of 169.
South were cruising for most of the fourth and final day to be 1-90. But it all changed when big-game player Matthew Murphy took six wickets to put the exclamation mark on yet another Clubbers premiership.
It was a double celebration for the Clubbers, who also took out the second XI premiership with a comfortable 119-run grand final win over Strathmore at the second oval at Crofts Reserve.
Yarraville Club’s 2013-14 premiership teams
Firsts: Emmett Bronca (captain), Andrew Cullen, Justin Baker, Ben Pope, Aaron Mato, Adam Contessa, Anthony Cristofaro, Michael O’Keefe, Richard Sherlock, Ben Tupper and Matthew Murphy.
Seconds: Gavin Tippett (captain), Neil Burton, Sam Callard, Craig Trounson, Matthew Boglis, Darren Cain, Anthony Graham, Mitchell Sweeney, Jake Armistead, Joel Richardson and Konrad Kurta.
