WERRIBEE had to be content with first innings points after Kingston Saints refused to budge on the second day of their Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association clash.
The Tigers went out in search of the maximum 10 points that would have seen them move to the top of the south-west group ladder, but the Saints would not give an inch and were happy to avoid the outright.
“It was a bit of a stalemate,” Tigers captain Shaun Dean said. “We already had six points in the bag and there were only four wickets taken for the day.”
With an eight-run overnight lead and eight wickets left, the Tigers wanted to get the scoreboard ticking over in a hurry.
On a flat wicket and under a blazing sun, they advanced effortlessly to 3-213 before the declaration.
The only blemish was the dismissal of Tim O’Brien, two runs short of back-to-back tons.
Dean’s own declaration might have cost him a century. The captain was on 86 not out when he adhered to team plans and ended the innings.
“The plan was to bat 17 overs or get to 120 [lead] — whatever came first,” he said. “That all happened in the one over so that worked out perfectly for us. It would’ve looked pretty ordinary if I did bat on just to get myself to 100.
“The outright was more important.”
The Saints did a superb job of seeing out the game until stumps, frustrating the visitors to make 3-170 in 49 overs.
It did not dampened the second-placed Tigers enthusiasm for a tilt at top spot.
They will need to beat third-placed Caulfield and hope top side Melton slips up on the road against Malvern.
“We want to win to carry some good form into the finals,” Dean said.
“And, on the odd occasion that Melton has a bad day, we’ll be there to take their spot.”
VSDCA
Firsts: Kingston Saints 93 (R Best 34no; M Thomson 5-12 S Plumridge 2-22) and 3-170 (LM Dale 76no D Pennington 36 A White 31no; J Burton 2-29) lt Werribee 3-213dec (T O’Brien 98 S Dean 86no; M O’Shea 3-40).
Seconds: Werribee 7-391 (A Duxson 128 T Foster 90 M Burton 65 M Frenkel 35no M Kinross 32 C Moran 27) d Kingston Saints 9-197 (N Gleeson 69 S McMahon 33; S Molloy 4-35 T Foster 3-36).
Thirds: Brunswick 6-241 (BC Psaila 110no O de Kretser 33 M Oberklaid 27; D Buchanan 2-36) and 1-57 (A Lawson 34) d Werribee 142 (O Doolan 74; G Senz 6-28 J Allan 2-29 C Owner 2-34).
Fourths: Werribee 9-224 (D Snow 50 N Buykx 45 J Budd 42 D Gage 26no; D Halliwell 2-23 JE Smith 2-31 C Germon 2-32) d Brunswick 194 (A Bachmann 60 R Hardman 42 R Somerville 29 T Duxson; 4-22 N Buykx 2-29 B Hurn 2-39).
