Tara Murray
West Newport went one step closer to securing its Victorian Turf Cricket Association McNamara Shield finals spot on Saturday.
Facing Tullamarine, which has slipped outside the top four in recent weeks, the Lions secured first innings points on day one in a massive boost.
Lions first XI player Daniel Shanahan said it was a weird day on Saturday.
The Lions managed to bowl the Demons out for just 93 in the 39th over.
“They’ve got some good quality batters with Harry [Meehan] one of the top wicket takers in the competition and three batters in the top 10,” he said.
“To bowl them out for 100 was a really good start. We just did what we’ve been doing all year.
“We really focused on bowling to our strengths and our fields. We found if we stuck to our plans throughout the 80 overs it’s working well for us.
Skipper Trent Jones was the pick of the bowlers for the Lions with 5-16 off his 11 overs.
With plenty of time to bat on day one, Shanahan said for them it wasn’t about how many runs they had on the scoreboard at the end of the first day.
“We wanted to try and limit our losses and keep as many wickets as we can in the shed,” he said.
“We managed to get first innings points and strengthened our position before next week.
“We want to continue on next week.”
James Usher (68 not out) and Jones (30 not out) were the two batters at the crease at the end of the day.
Shanahan said they would assess the situation during the week before deciding what approach they wanted to take on day two.
He said having already secured first innings points, it already strengthens their position in the race for finals.
The Lions are currently in third spot, just percentage ahead of fourth placed Greenvale Kangaroos and six points clear of Tullamarine and Newport-Digman.
For the Lions, making finals and any success this season would be massive considering the club put a call out for players weeks out from the season.
“It got pretty hairy six weeks before the season,” Shanahan said. “The committee, James Usher the coach and Trent Jones the captain knuckled down.
“We got a start and two teams was all we were going to get. It’s very hard in the location we are with the sheer number of teams in the same competition,
“It’s tough in the area. We’re pretty happy with where we are sitting at the moment and we’re already planning for a big 2024-25.”
In other matches Williamstown CYMS is 1-39 in reply to Sunbury’s 97, Newport-Digman is 4-50 in reply to Greenvale Kangaroos 119 and Altona Roosters have Keilor Park 6-60 in reply to their 168.
