Yarraville Club has gone from being out in the cold for Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division finals to preparing for an unlikely grand final appearance.
The Clubbers somehow found a way back to the grand final for a shot at a fifth flag in six years after beginning the month on the finals outer.
They snuck into the four on the last day of the regular season by luck more than anything after results fell their way.
They then proceeded to topple minor premier Greenvale on the road in a semi-final on Sunday to exact a slice of revenge on the club that ended their premiership run at four last summer.
There should be no surprise at the Clubbers’ latest Houdini act. They seem to find new and inventive ways of reaching the grand final on a regular basis.
Clubbers top-order batsman Justin Baker said his side’s ability to compartmentalise the season was its greatest strength.
“We’ve been there enough times to know it doesn’t matter what you do during the home-and-away rounds – whether you finished top, second, third or fourth – it’s just another game in the semi-finals,” he said.
Greenvale had the toughest of the pitch conditions on day one and limped to 140.
Emmett Bronca, the Clubbers’ player- coach, recaptured his best form at the right time with 5-39 off 24 overs.
Adam Contessa snared 3-32, Richard Sherlock chipped in with 2-14 and Ben Tupper took five catches behind the stumps.
But Bronca was the talk of the club on Saturday evening.
“The lines and the areas that he came out and bowled were fantastic,” Baker said. “He built the pressure.”
The Clubbers knew they were in for a tricky run chase on Sunday. They were in a world of trouble at 4-25, with two wickets falling before stumps on day one, and two without a further run in the first session on day two.
Baker would provide the backbone of the successful run chase, lasting from first ball to last. The usually free-wheeling opener curbed his natural aggression for a match-winning 68 not out.
After the top-order collapse, Baker was crying out for a partner at the other end to chew up some overs and eke out much-needed runs, and he got that from two veterans of the side: Contessa (19) and Michael O’Keefe (38 not out).
“You almost feel relief when Adam is there with you because if you’re doing it tough, he’ll get you across the line, he’ll talk to you,” Baker said. “With ‘Tocka’ [O’Keefe], you’ve got that experience out there with you and you know he’s not going to make a silly mistake. To have a guy like that coming out at seven is huge.”
The Clubbers will face South Caulfield in a four-day grand final starting on Saturday.
