Sunshine set the target of making the Victorian Turf Cricket Association grand final at the start of the Isaacs Howarth Shield season and have done exactly that.
The Crows were at their dominant best with the bat on Saturday in their semi final against Altona Roosters and sent a message to minor premiers and grand final opponent, Altona North.
Coach Shafraz Mohamed said his playing group made the job easy.
“It was good,” he said. “It feels familiar being in a grand final.
“I had faith in the team and once we made 343 on day one we were confident of getting the job done.
“Everyone executed their role and made it easy for me.”
Mohamed said when he joined the club at the start of the season they felt that they had the base of a premiership side already at the club.
He said they needed to find a couple of players to compliment the group.
“We managed to find Pramud Hettiwaite who is an absolute legend,” he said. “He’s taken about 30 wickets and made 500 runs for the season.
“We got him in and with the boys already there, there hasn’t been a lack of talent. It makes it easy for me.”
On Saturday, the Crows were sent in to bat in warm conditions.
They couldn’t have asked for much more as they finished the day at 4-343.
Dilip Tharaka top scored with 105, while Troy Stone, Charith Fernando and Avishka Chenuka also got half centuries.
Mohamed said getting plenty of runs out of their top order had been the focus at training on Thursday night and everyone played their role.
The Roosters started their run chase well and were 0-52.
Mohamed said they didn’t panic and they knew that they had the players to stop the run.
“We have seven bowlers who can actually bowl,” he said. “We were creating a lot of chances.
“We put three catches down that we should have caught. You can’t be doing that in the grand final.
“We are always a chance with our bowling line up.”
Once the wickets started to fall they continued to fall, with the Roosters bowled out for 175.
Tharaka backed up his performance with the bat, finishing with 6-35 to be the pick of the bowlers. The Crows ended up using just five of their seven bowlers.
The Crows will face minor premiers Altona North in the grand final. Altona North beat Doutta Stars in the other semi final.
“We are the only side that has beaten them.”
