Sunshine just managed to stave off an outright thrashing by Box Hill in Sub-District cricket’s east-west First XI on Saturday.
The Crows were seeking to salvage something from the two-day clash after being bowled out for just 95 on day one. Box Hill had reached 1-23 by stumps and took first-innings points at the weekend with only two wickets down.
The Mustangs, looking for their first win after a loss to Werribee in the opening round, declared at 5-156.
Skipper Paul Gloury top-scored with 61 and his 76-run third-wicket stand with Aaron Walter (49) proved the key partnership in getting Box Hill across the line.
Troy Stone snared 2-27 from eight overs for Sunshine and Kapelan Kulendranathan took 2-40.
Batting a second time, Sunshine needed to survive 37 overs to avoid an ignominous defeat and came dangerously close to an outright loss, finishing at 8-43.
Mark Brown (11) and Kane Twentyman
(10) were the only batsmen to reach double figures for the Crows, who changed the batting lineup for the second dig, Twentyman going ame in at nine while Nathaniel Bolus opened.
Brown said that disappointed though the Crows were with the loss, the players were treating it as a “little win”. He had particular praise for Paramjeet Hundal who survived the dying overs for one not out.
“They went at him, he had brusies on his elbows, but we had faith in him,” Brown said.
“It was quite interesting and it shows where our mindset is at. It’s a little win for us.”
Andrew Blake was the danger man for the Mustangs, picking up 5-15 from his 10 overs.
The loss leaves the winless Sunshine last. The Crows travel to Altona this Saturday for a one-day clash.
