Past players days are always big occasions for cricket clubs.
Yarraville Club held its annual get-together on Saturday, with former champions from more than three decades waxing lyrical about the achievements of bygone eras.
Clubbers coach Michael O’Keefe said “old legends” were packing the rooms.
“No doubt by 10pm everyone will be superstar cricketers,” he quipped.
There is a growing feeling that the current crop of Clubbers players could be on the verge of creating more legendary exploits of their own.
The Clubbers have already achieved great feats by winning back-to-back VTCA senior division flags so a rare three-peat is the carrot dangling before them this summer.
O’Keefe knows what it’s like to go on a premiership run, having been part of the Clubbers’ four in a row from 2008-09 to 2011-12.
He is starting to get the sense that his side is not ready to pass the premiership baton to another club just yet.
“You can tell we’re ready to take it to another level,” O’Keefe said. “The boys are pretty hungry from here on end.”
But the Clubbers still have work to do.
As things stand, they are not guaranteed to reach the finals, let alone win this season’s premiership.
The defending champions are sitting in fourth place but are only 1.31 points off top spot.
But at the same time, they are just five points clear of fifth-placed Tullamarine, with which they are locked in battle in the current round.
It could be a case of win-and-you’re-in for the Clubbers, who made 7-310 on day one against Tullamarine at the Walker Oval on Saturday.
Whatever the outcome, this Saturday’s play will be critical to the finals chances of both sides.
“This game is day one of our finals series,” O’Keefe said.
On a hot day with the conditions providing little assistance to the bowlers, Yarraville Club lost the toss and was shocked to be sent in to bat.
Tullamarine’s disciplined bowling made it hard for the Clubbers. But in such favourable batting conditions, a score of more than 300 was always on the cards.
There were plenty of contributors for the Clubbers with the bat.
Konrad Kurta was magnificent in the top order with 78, while late runs to Clint Hillas (47), Adam Contessa (47 not out) and Ben Tupper (43no) were vital.
Anthony Cristofaro, the club captain banished to the seconds a game earlier for inconsistent form, returned with a vengeance to make 39, a week after venting his frustration with a whopping 183 in the seconds.
“He showed character – it could be a real stepping stone for him for the rest of the season,” O’Keefe said
Tullamarine will begin its run chase on Saturday.
