While it’s a new look Werribee Centrals this season in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association division 3, it was a couple of familiar faces that were the stars of the show on Saturday.
Competition finally got underway on Saturday after the first five days of the season were called off.
For Centrals, it looked like it was going to be a tough day against Sunshine Heights as they crumbled to 4-26.
President Luke Allister said what happened next was some of the best individual performances he had seen in his time at the club.
“We lost 4-20 odd and our assistant coach Shaun [Jennings] came in and played one of the best innings I have seen for a while.
“He made 80 off 81 balls and gave us something to defend. He batted with the tail and lower order and they got him on strike and worked with him.
“It was magic to watch.”
Centrals ended up posting 9-146 from their overs.
Allister said they were probably 30-40 runs short of what they would have liked, but were happy to take that total after not looking like they would pass 100 earlier in the innings.
Then with the ball it was Jayden Golowka.
Golowka took four wickets late in the innings including a hat-trick, to finish with 4-11 as Sunshine Heights was restricted to 8-126.
Allister said it was the first time that he could recall a hat-trick in the first XI in his time at the club.
“We’ve got a number of new guys at the club, but it was two guys who have been at the club 15-20 years that stood up for us.
“It was really pleasing and it will hopefully set up a good start for us. I don’t think we’ve won our first match for five or six years.”
Allister said he was thrilled with how the side performed in the field considering it was their first match of the season, saying they had gelled really well.
He knows there is still work to be done from there.
“We only had one wicket before drinks,” he said. “Jayden come on and took four wickets towards the end.
“There’s area’s to work on.”
Centrals face Point Cook in the local Wyndham derby this Saturday.
Point Cook started the season with a loss to Pascoe Vale Hadfield.
Pascoe Vale made 7-158 from its overs, with Ross Martin taking three wickets for Point Cook.
Point Cook fell just short, bowled out for 152 in the second last over.
Harvinder Singh top scored with 42 coming in at number seven.
In division 4, Bellbridge suffered a big loss to the Williamstown Congs.
In division 5, Wyndhamvale lost to Footscray Angliss, while Sanctuary Lakes made 8-146 before bowling Centrals out for 110.
Tara Murray
