Seabrook has taken full advantage of a lively pitch to rout Point Cook and take their place in the VTCA west B1 top four.
The Saints defended just 177 on their visit to Saltwater Reserve and did it easily, with the help of a few demons, to have the home side out for 92.
Saints captain Leigh Edwards described the pitch as “a very dodgy deck”.
“It was popping and seaming everywhere,” he said. “The bowlers just had to put the ball in the right areas to capitalise.”
Seabrook rolled out its best seam bowlers, who dictated the terms on the second day.
Chris Kavanagh had season-best figures of 4-29 off 18 overs, removing one of the openers in his first spell and returning to clean up the tail. He also took three catches.
Dhavel Patel produced his best effort for the season with 3-9 off 11.2 overs, while Hitesh Bavarva was his typical miserly self with 2-7 off eight.
Mitch Haberecht took 1-20 off 14 – not the type of figures that jump off the page, but they drew praise from his skipper.
“He only got one wicket in the first innings but he was the pick of the bowlers,” Edwards said. “The wickets were falling at the other end on the back of his pressure bowling.”
Seabrook batted a second time and declared on 3-6 when it became apparent there would be little chance to accumulate bonus points.The Saints had nine overs to bowl at Point Cook before stumps and took four valuable wickets.
“They came out at the start and tried to reverse outright us but we constantly kept taking wickets,” Edwards said. “They were never a chance to get it with the way the wicket was playing. We nearly picked up a full point so it paid off in the end to send them back in.”
Seabrook is back at home on Saturday to face Williamstown Imperials with newly renovated clubrooms at Bruce Comben Reserve in use for the first time.
In west A1, Wyndham Vale had a shocker, narrowly avoiding an outright loss to Kingsville Baptists. Set a massive 258 for victory, the Falcons were bowled out for 121 in their first dig and were 8-115 in the second innings.
Werribee Centrals (190 and 1-16) were taken down by Altona Roosters (231) in a tight tussle at Langshaw Reserve.
