By Tara Murray
An inconsistent Hoppers Crossing again did enough to come away with the points in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association south-west on Saturday.
The Cats headed out to Melton to face the bottom of the table Melton in the first game back after the break and while it wasn’t the Cats best performance they still had a big win.
Cats captain-coach Simon Lambert said they were happy with the win considering where they were early in the day.
“At 6-80 we were staring down at it a bit,” he said. “It was good to see our lower order fight really hard for the last four wickets.
“It was really pleasing to push to 220 as it was a really slow outfield.
Daryl Sunder Ferrario top scored with 72 in the middle order, before Harshit Takkar, Abbas Faiyaz, Justin Goegan and Wajh e Ali Bangash all made contributions including 50 for the final wicket.
Lambert said they had confidence in their whole batting line up to do the job when they were needed to.
He said the form of the lower order bodes well for the side heading into the back part of the season.
Lambert said despite this, it was disappointing to find themselves in trouble early.
“It’s frustrating to see the top order come and go and be 6-80,” he said. “Either myself or Darryl having to step up and we spoke about it again.
“We weren’t at our best and we still made 220 which was about the highest score on the day without our top six firing.
“It was good signs.”
Lambert said they thought anything above 180 was a good score against the struggling Lions and that 220 was something they weren’t going to chase down.
The bowlers again stood up and were able to bowl Melton out for 97 in the 37th over.
Takkar was the pick of the bowlers for the Cats, taking three wickets.
The win and other results moves the Cats up to second on the ladder.
The closeness of the competition means they are just two games clear of fifth.
Lambert said they had a favourable draw in the back half of the season with only one match against a top eight side.
They will have to get past Altona first which has beaten them the past two seasons. Altona currently sits in ninth spot.
The Cats were also set to be in action on Tuesday night against Yarraville in the T20 competition, after deadline.
Lambert said they were pretty optimistic entering the shortest format and were expecting to have a full strength side.
Meanwhile, Werribee suffered a loss to Altona on Saturday.
The Tigers made 9-188 from their overs with Ryan Alifraco top scoring with 44.
Altona hit the winning runs with five balls remaining, finishing 6-190.
Werribee was set to face Melton in the T20 competition, after deadline.
