Nothing but a premiership will erase the pain of a grand final loss for Seabrook, but a red hot 5-0 start has gone some way to taking minds off last March.
The Saints continued their flawless start to the season with a 77-run win over Melton South Royals in Victorian Turf Cricket Association west A1 at Bruce Comben Reserve on Saturday.
Saints captain Leigh Edwards is rapt.
“It’s been a fantastic start – even our second XI have won their first five as well,” he said.
“The ones and twos are undefeated on top of the ladder, so we’re off to a flyer.
“Everything is heading the right way and it would be great to go into Christmas unbeaten.”
Seabrook was bowled out for 129 one ball short of the maximum 40 overs after the game reverted to a one-dayer following the abandonment of day one.
The Saints were a bit deflated by the total, though the slow out-field brought about by the rain in the previous week hampered their progress somewhat.
“We weren’t quite sure if we had enough runs on the board,” Edwards said.
“It was a pretty good batting wicket – it was just that the outfield was slow. You really had to run your runs because you’d crack one through the covers and it was pulling up and you’d only get two.
“We lost wickets consistently and weren’t building partnerships.
“Someone would bat for five overs and then we’d lose a wicket and have to start again.”
Walgama Eranga top-scored for Seabrook with 36, featuring in a 51-run opening stand with Jake Collins (nine).
Dhaval Patel (21) and Andrew Hodgart (17) made handy contributions to get the Saints to a defendable total.
Seabrook need not have been worried about whether it had enough runs on the board, as it bowled Melton South out for just 52.
The Royals lost 8-14 in the middle of their innings with Saints paceman Vishva Werrakoon causing carnage with 7-24.
“He was absolutely swinging it both ways and was a class above,” Edwards said.
“He played first-class cricket in Sri Lanka, same as Eranga, so they’re great recruits for us.”
Bellbridge’s rough start to the season continued with an 83-run loss to Gellibrand at Digman Reserve. Robert Stimpson was the bright spot for the Bears with 43 in his first game since earning a call-up from the
seconds.
In north-west A1, Werribee Centrals was bowled out for 97 chasing Altona Roosters’ 6-188. Waqar Shah was the standout for the Centurions with 30, while Jacob Russell took 3-43.
In north-west B1, in-form Jack Bolam made 80 not out and Scott Maloney bounced back with 71 in Point Cook’s 54-run win over Maribyrnong Park-St Mary’s.
Wyndhamvale squeezed past Williamstown Imperials by four runs in a thriller after superb bowling from Jay Dolliver (4-45) and David Buchanan (3-17).
