Tara Murray
There were a few nervous moments for Deer Park waiting to find out whether it had done enough to qualify for the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division finals.
Sitting in eighth spot entering the final round, the Lions needed an outright win and the results of three other matches went their way.
Having managed to get the full 10 points against Westmeadows, coach Mick Andriadis and the playing group were then watching the scores.
“We were watching the other scores of the games being played,” he said. ”Druids looked like they might win outright for a while and jump us.
“They had Craigieburn at 9-80, so it put that game on the radar for us. Abers had won [against St Albans], and the Keilor [and Sunshine United] game was still in the balance.
“It was a good chain of events, we were a bit lucky.”
Andriadis said their aim entering the final round was to try and get an outright win and see what happened after that.
The Warriors were bowled out for 70 on day one, with the Lions finishing day one at 6-73.
Having set the game up on day one, the Lions were confident of getting the job done on day two.
“We set it up and made a brace decision to declare straight away,” he said. “We came into the second week knowing we had to get them out.
“Get the 10 wickets and whatever we need, chase it down. The plan was to get 10 wickets.”
The Lions got those wickets, bowling out the Warriors for 107.
Upul Bandara and Ricky Suvada took three wickets each.
It left the Lions needing 105 to claim the whole 10 points. They finished 3-105 from 20 overs.
“It was a really big total,” Andriadis said. “Runs come pretty fast on that ground, easy to get fours once if gets past the infield.
“We focused on going out there and getting them quickly. We got them in about 20 odd overs, when we had 45 overs.
“We did it easy.”
Hashan Wanasekara finished unbeaten on 53.
Having come up from winning the division 1 premiership last season, Andriadis said they were thrilled to have done well enough to make finals in the higher division.
“We are rapt,” he said. “That was the plan to come up and still be in contention to make finals in the last game of the year.
“It’s a good result for the year. We now play the top side, we have nothing to lose. They’re missing a few players and we haven’t played them in 80 over cricket.
“We’ll see what happens in 80 over cricket.”
While it was joy for Deer Park, it was heartbreak for St Albans and Sunshine United.
The two sides entered the final round in fourth and fifth, but suffered final round losses.
St Albans lost to finals bound Aberfeldie.
The Saints were bowled out for 170 with Geeth Alwis top scoring with 39.
Abers finished 6-171 in reply.
Sunshine United was beaten by Keilor.
The Tigers were bowled out for 164 with David Worthington top scoring with 77.
Keilor finished 5-165 with Nathan Beever top scoring with 58 not out.
Aberfeldie will play Yarraville Club, which was defeated in the final round by Haig Fawkner, in the other semi final.
