After being top of the ladder for most of the season, the moment Keilor has been waiting for is almost here.
The Blues have to get through just three more Saturdays before a home semi-final in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association.
They will play day two of the current match against Haig Fawkner, who will chase Keilor’s 8-266 made on Saturday, before ending the regular season against Laverton.
The post-Christmas period hasn’t been without its testing times though, with Keilor finally suffering its first loss of the season at the hands of Seddon last month.
VIEW PICTURE GALLERY/SALES FROM THIS MATCH
But it’s the way the club responded to that performance that has impressed coach Sean McManus, the Blues pulling off a fighting win over Spotswood before crushing PEGS.
“The loss against Seddon gave us a chance to re-focus on our goals,” McManus said. “We’re setting our goals around finals now and have identified areas we need to improve on.”
One of the main reasons for Keilor’s success this season has been a deep batting line-up.
Middle-order batsman Robert Cook has led the way, scoring a team-high 277 runs for the season, while another three Blues batsmen are in the top 20 scorers in the north-west division.
“The pleasing thing about the form is that the load is being shared around,” McManus said.
McManus paid tribute to Keilor captain and former Sri Lankan international all-rounder Kaushal Lokuarachchi, who made 82 against Haig Fawkner on Saturday.
“For young guys to be able to play alongside a guy who has played international cricket is an enviable learning environment,” McManus said. “There’s no doubt that batting and training with senior players is an advantage.”
