Tara Murray
A Spotswood junior produced his best performance for the club to help it through to the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association north-west semi finals.
The reigning premiers are full of stars who have played at higher levels, but on the weekend it was Declan O’Brien, who stood up to guide his side to a win against Werribee.
Woodsmen coach Dan Schuppan said they produced a good solid performance to get over the line.
“We are rapt, especially in the heat,” he said. “Someone like Werribee is such a good finals team and has proven that over a long period of time.
“We’re rapt to get that result.”
Spotswood batted first and was in trouble at 5-112 after all its top order got starts without going on with it.
O’Brien then turned the game, making 124 off 139 balls. He and Schuppan had a big partnership, with the coach making 55.
The Woodsmen were bowled out in the second last over for 276.
Schuppan said he was rapt for O’Brien to step up like that.
“For a long time, the last six or seven years, I’ve said that he is the hardest worker at the cricket club,” he said.
“To score his first first XI 100 for Spotswood and to do it in a final. He played an unbelievable innings, in a final and in that heat.
“The mindset of the kid now. He was happy making 15-20 runs in the past, his mindset has shifted and he knows he can do that.”
Despite having a big total on the board, Schuppan wasn’t convinced they had enough runs on the board facing a side with Werribee’s experience.
He said having runs on the board which always worked in their favour.
“It wasn’t going to be easy,” he said. “They had a great opening partnership. Matthew Burton has been their twos captain for nearly all year credit to him and what he did.
“We were able to toil away and get a few wickets and it opened up for a little.
“It was a good grinding performance, nothing came easy.”
Schuppan completed a strong all round performance, taking 6-47 off 23 overs.
He said getting a win like that against Werribee gives them more experience to build on, having won three finals, including the grand final last season.
With Altona knocking off minor premiers St Bernard’s OC, the Woodsmen enter the semi finals as the highest ranked team.
They will face St Bernard’s in a two-day semi final this week. Altona will face Kew in the other semi final, with grand final spots on the line in both games.
Schuppan said it would be another tough challenge.
“It’ll be a massive challenge,” he said. “They are minor premiers for a reason and we’re going to need to be on our a-game.
“We back ourselves in.”
