Tara Murray
Celebrations have been a long time in the making for the Williamstown Colts.
The club which is 55 years old had previously only won one first XI premiership in 1998-99, but that all changed on Saturday with the side winning the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 5 premiership.
Facing Bellbridge in the best of three one-day finals series, the Colts needed only two matches to claim the series 2-0.
Colts president Steve Willis said it was pretty exciting for the group to break the premiership drought.
“We are very happy,” he said.
“It’s more than 21 years since the firsts last won a grand final. It was actually in a different competition and in B-grade.
“This is the first time we’ve won in a division and been in the highest level of that division.
“We’re very excited about it… We also had three junior teams win grand finals at the weekend.”
Despite losing to Bellbridge twice during the season, Willis said they were quietly confident heading into the grand final series.
The Colts took the momentum in the grand final series on the first weekend of the grand final series.
They bowled Bellbridge out for just 34, which they chased down in 11.2 overs and with nine wickets in hand.
“We were very surprised by the outcome,” Willis said about game one.
“It was one of those games where everything went right for us and nothing went right for them.
“It definitely set the tone.”
Game two was meant to be held last Sunday, but due to rain both game two and if needed, game three were to be played on the weekend.
Willis said they had been expecting a much harder game in game two and got exactly that.
Colts made 4-167 from their overs, with Joel Kitchen top scoring with 59 not out.
Willis said they were on top before some late hitting took the match closer than they would have liked.
“[Bailey] Moffatt, who I think is only 18-years-old came in at number seven and started slapping us around.
“I was scoring and starting to get a little nervous.
“We were lucky to get him out. If he batted for a couple more overs it could have been a different story.”
The Colts bowled Bellbridge out for 156 to win by 11 runs.
Lasitha Mendis and Aakash Katarey took three wickets each for the Colts.
The win means that the Colts are set to play in division 4 next season.
Willis said they were ready for that next challenge.
“Speaking to people they have said the difference between division 5 and 4 isn’t that great,” he said.
“We are quietly confident that we may not have to recruit too many players.
“All the guys who played for us this year, have agreed to play next season.”
