Yarraville is one step away from the Sub-District cricket south-west group grand final, but had to endure an agonising wait before its ticket was punched for the final four.
The Eagles had their wings clipped in a heavy seven-wicket qualifying final loss to Werribee at the Yarraville Oval, but there was still a glimmer of hope late on Sunday.
In week one of the Subbies finals, three winners advance, along with the highest ranked loser. The third-placed Eagles stood to benefit if both Hoppers Crossing, who finished fifth, and defending premiers Ormond, who came sixth, were to lose their qualifying finals.
News filtered through to Yarraville early that Hoppers Crossing had lost, so all the focus was on the match between minor premiers Oakleigh and Ormond.
Set 189 for victory, Oakleigh was in a spot of bother at 8-118, leaving the Eagles on the brink of elimination.
Eagles captain Matthew Love admitted his side was considering plans other than donning the whites next weekend at point in the day.
“We were planning next week around not playing, talking about going down and watching the twos at Williamstown,” he told Star Weekly. “Then, it was getting pretty anxious hearing results, they [Oakleigh] were eight down with 30 to get, then 20 and then 10 runs to go.”
Somehow, someway, Oakleigh came through for Yarraville, with an unbroken 71-run stand for the ninth partnership to win by two wickets.
The pain of the Eagles loss to Werribee earlier in the day had subsided as they advanced to the preliminary final as the ‘lucky loser’.
“It’s already shaken off,” Love said of the defeat. “There’s an absolute buzz around the place and we’re excited and rapt to get the opportunity to play another game in the finals.
“All four grades have got through to the preliminary finals, two of which won to get through and the firsts and seconds lost, but luckily by getting into a position throughout the year, we could have that second chance.
“I said after today’s game – we lost around tea time and still didn’t know the result of the Oakleigh and Ormond game – if we manage to get through, see it as a reward for what we’ve done throughout the season to finish in the top three and our chance to have another crack at it.”
Yarraville was on the back foot against Werribee for the most part.
The Eagles only managed to scrounge together 117 in 53 overs with veteran David Wolfe the only nuisance with 27 from the top of the order.
The visiting Tigers were cautious about the way they reached the small total, largely brought about by Yarraville’s quality bowling and never-say die approach, but it was comfortable in the end.
“All season, our positive has been our bowling and fielding, being able to squeeze sides and make it really hard to score off us,” Love said.
“We dragged it out to tea, so we made it hard for them, but we didn’t have nearly enough runs on the board to get that competitive.”
So, Yarraville lives to fight another day, facing premiership favourite Oakleigh in a two-day preliminary final on the road.
Nobody expects the Eagles to go to go Warrawee Park Oval and upset the Oaks, which is what could make them a dangerous proposition.
“In some ways, we’ll be going in with absolutely nothing to lose,” Love said. “From Oakleigh’s point of view, they’d be happy to play us, but we’ll show them hopefully why that’s not the case.
“All the pressure is on them, they’re the top side and we’re coming to their home turf and we’re going to throw caution into the wind and give it all we’ve got.”
Check out Star Weekly’s qualifying final photo gallery HERE
