For the third time in the space of eight days, Taylors Lakes took it down to the final over in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.
After winning a thriller in the east-west competition last week, the Lions again won in the final over twice this week.
First, they beat St Bernard’s OC in the T20 competition on Tuesday night, before holding off Noble Park on Saturday in a one-dayer.
“That isn’t how we want to win them but we will take it,” Lions coach Peter Brasher said.
“It was a good day, but a bloody long time.
“We didn’t finish until 7.40pm and got it done on the third last ball.”
In hot conditions, the Lions decided to bat first.
They made 7-242 from their overs.
Brasher said they would have taken that total at the start of the day.
“We lost our first wicket at 95 in the 18th or 19th over,” he said.
“The platform we had suggested that we might get a few more on the board but Noble Park is not up there for no reason.
“Steffan [Roberts] and Omal [Palihapitiya] didn’t take many risks and were going at four to five runs an over.
“We steadily ticked it over.”
Roberts top scored with 76 for the Lions.
Brasher said the bowlers then did a solid job and having Noble Park at 2-23 set a good platform.
Two dropped catches didn’t help the side and Noble Park pushed towards the total.
Noble Park needed 16 runs off the last over to win.
“They only got a couple off the first four balls,” Brasher said. “They needed 14 off the last two balls.
“We just lobbed it on the pitch and made sure there were no no balls and wides. They then hit a couple of boundaries.”
Noble Park finished 8-239.
Aidan Brasher took two wickets for the Lions.
Peter Brasher said the performance was a well rounded.
“They stuck to the task and the energy was there until the last over,” he said.
“That was the most pleasing part. They looked like they could have got away from us and we could have dropped our heads, but every player stuck at it.
“For a team like us we need everyone to contribute.”
Despite the win, the Lions remain seventh on the ladder.
They are now just three points outside the top six.
The Lions face Williamstown in a two-dayer starting Saturday in the next round.
Brasher said in another pleasing thing the side’s second XI continues to perform with pressure being put on for spots.
