Tara Murray
Deer Park’s fairy tale rise in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association fell just short of a second straight premiership.
After winning the division 1 title last season, the Lions had a season of ups and downs, but ultimately made the senior division grand final.
A below par batting performance on Saturday would prove to be the difference, with the Clubbers claiming premiership glory.
Lions coach Mick Andriadis joked when they won last season’s premiership they would go for a second straight premiership, and he was almost proven correct.
“You would like to achieve something like that,” he said. “To our club’s credit and to the players, everyone involved it has been a roller coaster year.
“[The] first game with a [a loss by] mankad then we had the dramas with Haig [Fawkner] and then we’re not playing, then we are playing.
“Full credit to the VTCA for getting the season finished as they did. It was not the result we were looking for, [but] credit to my boys they fought it out well.”
Andriadis admits making just 138 on day one was never going to be enough.
James Leach top scored with 37.
Andriadis said they might have played their grand final in the semi final to get past Haig, with one of their best performances of the season.
“We just needed to make a bit more runs,’ he said. “If we had this weather yesterday [Saturday] might have been a different story,” he said.
“At one stage there I think we were 5-90, when [Mohammed] Alfar and Leach were batting and I thought we were a chance to take the momentum but not to be, couple of bad outs and an Ibw, turned the game and all of a sudden you’re five or six for 100.”
The Clubbers started well with the bat reaching 0-70. They lost four quick wickets to slip to 4-97 to give the Lions a chance.
Andriadis said had you told him that Trent Lawford, Chinthaka Jayasinghe and Sangaran Nandhalal would make 22 between them, he would have thought it would have gone a long way to getting victory.
But it wasn’t to be, with the Clubbers finishing 4-140.
Fawad Malook took three wickets for the Lions.
Despite the grand final loss, Andriadis said there was so much to take out of this season.
“All in all, I’m rapt for the season, rapt for the club,” he said.
“I think a bit of history there the first club to come up from division 1 and play off in a granny, I don’t think it has happened before.
“I know that it hurts a little big now, but it’s been a great effort
“Top division is not easy, we see the differences in some of the sides,
“I’m proud of the boys and the way that they fought.”
