Keilor held its nerve late to come away with an important win against Airport West St Christopher’s in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division on Saturday.
The Blues needed nine runs off the final over for victory and it would come down to the final ball.
Jonah Koch was able to hit two runs for the Blues to claim victory.
Blues’ coach Duncan Harrison said the match was closer than he would have liked.
“It was a good game of cricket,” he said. “They probably held sway for most of the game.
“We made a surge late. We needed nine off the last over with two wickets in hand, we were never too far away.
“Everyone was holding their breath. We were over the moon to get the win, it was hearts in mouth stuff.
The Eagles made 9-185 after being sent in.
Dimuth Karunarathna and Isuru Yaddehige took two wickets each for the Blues.
At 3-45 and with Karunarathna back in the sheds, the Blues had some work to do in the run chase.
While Malith Cooray was in the runs again, it was a couple of youngsters, Cameron Thorley and Lachlan Cullen, that were the keys.
“They are two young guys who have been playing mostly in the seconds,” Harrison said.
“They are 19-20 and haven’t played a lot of first XI cricket. They were able to make 30-40 runs each.”
While both went out and it came down to the final wicket, the Blues finished 9-196.
Cooray top scored with 59, while Thorley made 41 and Cullen 37.
The win was important for the context of the Blues season.
After nine matches, the Blues sit one point clear of Deer Park at the top of the ladder.
They are now 13 points clear of the Eagles, who sit in fifth spot.
“The win puts us six points further ahead,” Harrison said.
“If we had lost we would have been six points closer to them, so it was important.
“It’s a super tight competition which is what everyone wants.
“We have to keep on winning.”
Harrison said the big thing for them now was that their finals fate is in their own hands.
“We’re not getting carried away that we are on top,” he said. “We want to play finals and that reality is getting closer.
“That [finals in their own hands] has not been in our hands for a while. At this stage we’re normally relying on others to lose.”
The Blues face Westmeadows in a two-day clash this weekend.
In other results, Deer Park had a good win against Altona North.
Chasing 153, the Lions finished 4-159 in 25.3 overs.
St Albans suffered a big loss to Yarraville Club. The Saints made 149 in reply to the Clubbers’ 249.
Sydenham-Hillside had a big win against Westmeadows.
The Storm made 7-220 before restricting the Warriors to 204.
