By Lance Jenkinson
Yarraville powered to a 102-run first innings win over Endeavour Hills in a season-opening road trip to Sydney Pargeter Recreation Reserve in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west group on Saturday.
The Eagles had to work hard for their 175 off 73.1 overs, but it proved more than enough as they skittled Endeavour Hills for a meagre 73.
Eagles captain Matthew Grose was pleased to see his team take the initiative with the bat after being sent in.
“Even though we fully expect wickets early in the season to have a bit of give in them and might be a little bit slow, it didn’t faze us,” he said.
“While we would’ve liked more than 175 from where we were at tea – we were about 3-120 – we still felt like we had the bowling attack to get the job done.
“We had a couple of really good contributions at the top of the order from Kasey Duncan and Josh Hahnel.”
Opener Hahnel top-scored for Yarraville with 54, while new recruit Duncan scored 48 from No. 4.
Duncan moved to the Eagles nest from Avenel and looks to be a good find.
“He looks really comfortable at the level,” Grose said.
“Kasey and Josh showed how to bat with a clear plan and something our middle to lower order can learn from in future weeks.”
All of Yarraville’s bowlers got stuck into the Endeavour Hills batting carcass.
Mitch Cross was the pick of the bunch, taking 4-24 off 12.2.
Ashane De Silva finished with five wickets in the match for Yarraville.
The leg spinner took 3-8 in the first innings and backed it up with 2-34 as the Eagles went in search of an outright result.
Endeavour Hills did enough to see off the outright threat, finishing on 5-145 in its second dig.
Yarraville will host Noble Park in a tough two-day home opener at the Yarraville Oval on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Williamstown has made a strong start to the summer, thumping Balwyn by eight wickets on first innings.
Williamstown will host Box Hill in the second round at the Williamstown Cricket Ground.
