For the first time in 16 years, Seabrook Cricket Club will be playing first XI finals.
Tears of joy flowed from some of the Saints’ finals-starved veterans when they finally made it – they thought the day might never come when they would get the chance to represent their club in finals.
The Saints will face minor premier Grand United in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association west A1 semi-finals this weekend.
“The club hasn’t played ones finals since 2001,” said Saints skipper Leigh Edwards.
“We had three guys that actually cried after the game – that’s how much it means to the guys.”
The Saints did it their way – the hard way.
They endured a tension-filled final day to claim fourth spot.
They beat fifth-placed Williamstown Colts on home soil at Bruce Comben Reserve on Saturday, but the three-wicket margin was far from comfortable.
“It was one of the most nervous games I’ve ever been involved in,” Edwards said. “There was a lot on the line.”
Williamstown Colts were restricted to 120 at a rate of less than two runs an over.
All five Saints bowlers took wickets, with Mitch Haberecht and Dhaval Patel leading the way with three apiece.
That would normally be a comfortable run chase, but not for a side with the weight of history against it.
Seabrook has endured its fair share of heartbreaks over the years and they must have come flooding back to players who have been around the club for decades.
After an inauspicious start saw the Saints in trouble at 4-38, they found a steadying partnership between Edwards (25) and Chris Kavanagh (23), who took the total to 73 when the fifth wicket went down.
The dismissal of Kavanagh sparked a mini-collapse as the Saints lost a further two quick wickets to be 7-80 and behind the eight-ball.
“The partnership that me and ‘Cav’ shut them out of the game for a bit and they dropped off completely,” Edwards said.
“We went to drinks and I said to ‘Cav’, ‘The worst thing we could do is lose a wicket’.
“Unfortunately, ‘Cav’ got out three balls after I said that to him, which is usually the case when you have a drinks break – you lose a bit of concentration.”
Seabrook had two recognised batsmen left and two extremely nervous tailenders.
Thankfully for the tailenders, Patel (32 not out) and Andrew Hodgart (13) produced a partnership for the ages to get the Saints over the line and into the finals.
“It was a fantastic partnership to finish the game,” Edwards said. “The scenes – blokes were crying, blokes jumping up for joy – you’d think we’d won the AFL premiership.
“I told the boys we’ve still got one game to go, hopefully two, so don’t think this is the pinnacle because in this top four anyone can win.
“It’s going to be a fantastic finals series.”
