Altona successfully turned to spin in defending a tiny total against Mount Waverley on the road at Mount Waverley Reserve in Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west first XI.
Having made just 126, the A’s needed to find 10 wickets and had no time to waste.
After the pacemen enjoyed only moderate success, A’s captain Adam Yates decided to deploy the spinners – and did so with devastating effect.
The A’s No. 1 spinner, left-armer Stefan Sidari, changed the game completely with a stunning 5-9 off 9.1 overs, including five maidens.
Then Yates played his part with leg-spin, snaring 3-16 off eight.
Mount Waverley went from a comfortable 3-59 to all out for 77, losing its last seven wickets for 18 runs.
It was a massive result or Altona, which has all but locked away a finals berth after jumping up to third with two rounds to go.
The A’s will host Werribee in a two-day blockbuster at Frank Kirk Oval starting on Saturday.
Still leading the way at the top of the ladder is Williamstown, which had a 78-run win over Croydon away in a finals-like game at Croydon Oval.
The Seagulls had a massive 8-316 to defend and did so rather comfortably, bowling the hosts out for 238.
Daniel Popa and Patrick O’Malley were the stand-out Seagulls bowlers with three wickets apiece.
Eight points clear in first, the Seagulls have issued a catch-us-if-you-can to their rivals.
The Seagulls could just about seal the minor premiership with a win over Melton at Williamstown Cricket Ground in the penultimate round.
Yarraville’s finals hope sunk with a 36-run loss to Melton at MacPherson Park.
Chasing 241 for victory, the Eagles could only muster 204, with Matthew Love playing a lone hand with 132.
Love is far and away the leading run-scorer in sub-district cricket, with 753 runs at 68.45.
Having made 943 runs in all formats, Love is on target for a rare 1000-run season.
Lance Jenkinson
