Sunshine will need quick wickets on the second day of the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east/west first XI clash with Bayswater on Saturday.
The Crows were sent in to bat on the opening day and were rolled for 154.
Bayswater made 1/53 in reply.
New Sunshine coach Mark Brown, seeking to turn around the Crows’ fortunes after a couple of ordinary seasons, opened the batting with new skipper Kane Twentyman.
Brown scored 22 to lay an early foundation but lost Twentyman when he was caught for four.
Fayaz Ughradar, an all-rounder who has played for English county side Lancashire, made 24 before he was caught. His wicket sparked a collapse as the Crows lost 4/8 before Nathan Armstrong (30) and Laka Ullah Khan (54) put on 61 for the eighth wicket.
Daniel Carr, on debut for Bayswater, took 5/62 with six maidens from 20.2 overs, preventing Sunshine from posting a big total.
Carr was well supported by Tim Sugumar, who snared 2/31 from 12 overs, and Mark Butler, who took 1/5 from six.
Bayswater’s fielding was exceptional, with two run outs ensuring Sam Mangano (2) and Nathan Bolus (4) didn’t get starts.
The Crows got an early wicket with Mark Collins caught for a duck, but Dean Connell (16) and Sugumar (35) steered Bayswater out of trouble and were together at the close.
Crows president Greg Simpson said there was plenty of optimism in the camp this season. “We’ve had big change at Sunshine and we’re hoping for big things this season,” he said.
Simpson took 3/57 on Saturday for Sunshine second XI, currently 0/5 chasing Bayswater’s 187.
Ben Bonavia took 3/26 from 16 economical overs, while Ben Luca cleaned up the tail with 2/6 from nine balls.
The third and fourth XI matches against Balwyn were both called off.
