Werribee has paid a significant price for fumbling a chance off Roxburgh Park- Broadmeadows centurion Mitchell Streiff in the midst of a career-best batting performance.
Streiff starred in the middle order, with the Tigers missing the chance to limit his damaging efforts when the opportunity was presented in the VSDCA north-west match.
The Falcons all-rounder compiled a further 50 runs after the dropped catch to bring up his maiden first XI century.
Picture gallery: Werribee v Roxburgh Park Broadmeadows
Streiff finished 114 not out off 141 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, to put the visitors in a strong position: 8-259 at the compulsory close on day one.
Tigers captain Shaun Dean said the day might have turned out differently for his side if the Streiff chance had stuck.
“It was the only blemish of the day fielding-wise but it was a costly one,” he said.
“If we’d got him, they probably make 200 to 210 and that’s a good day for us … we drop him and they make 260. We’re going to have to bat well to get them.”
The Tigers lucked out at the toss as the coin again did not fall Dean’s way.
That forced his men to field in hot conditions and they were feeling the pinch at the end of the day.
“Unfortunately, I can’t really win a toss to save myself at the moment,” he said.
“I think I’ve only won two for the whole year.”
Dean was proud of his team’s efforts in the heat.
The Streiff blemish aside, it was a day on which the Tigers maintained their composure, held their catches and even inflicted two run outs.
“The conditions weren’t really conducive to bowling, but we toiled hard,” Dean said.
“I don’t think we bowled too badly, but the ball was pretty much cooked by the 14th over of the day.
“We worked hard to try to get one side shined up and some reverse happening, but it was a pretty flat wicket and a pretty hot day.”
At 3-64, the match was evenly poised, but Streiff’s 85-run fourth-wicket stand with Adam Yates (44) gave the early honours to the Falcons.
Heath Pritchard was the leading wicket-taker for the Tigers with 3-51, taking his season tally to 29 wickets at 14.6 – the fourth-most wickets in the VSDCA north-west group.
If the Tigers want to keep control of their finals destiny they will need to pass the target on Saturday. Otherwise, they’ll face a nervous final round a week later.
