Hoppers Crossing had a win to savour when it toppled previously undefeated Balwyn by 50 runs in sub-district cricket at Gordon Barnard Reserve on Saturday.
The Cats have only been in the sub-district competition for a short time, crossing from the VTCA at the start of last summer, but have already enjoyed a number of momentous victories.
They will never forget their first sub-district win, upsetting Altona in round one last season.
And they will always cherish the win over local rival Werribee, achieved in the days leading up to last Christmas.
But Cats skipper Greg Kennedy reckons the weekend’s east-west first XI game, with his side in the bottom two without a win and facing a rampant 5-0 Balwyn side, elevated this victory above the previous two landmark wins.
“This felt the best I think,” Kennedy said. “I sat down after the game and thought how proud I was that we really applied ourselves over those two days.
“Coming out of poor form against a really good, experienced line-up, with them on top and us second from bottom, it’s a really great feeling to have that win.”
Hoppers Crossing finished day one with 185 on the board.
It was a relatively modest total for the Cats, but considering their horror run of form with the bat in recent times, it was a viable situation.
The total gave the Cats’ strong bowling line-up something to defend, so Kennedy was not afraid to talk up his sides chances, even though he knew of the immense task confronting his side.
“It was the things that don’t count [on the scoreboard], like voice and running through, but also in the field … Chris Henry ran around the field like a madman, sliding and diving for balls and the bowlers did their jobs,” Kennedy said. “Our energy and discipline was spot on.”
Balwyn was bowled out for 135 in 69.1 overs.
Kennedy was outstanding with 5-30 off 17.1 overs, but he was happy to deflect the praise on young off-spinner Hendro Dias, who took 3-28 off 18, including the prized scalps of Balwyn captain Liam Murphy, who was coming off a century, and opener Guy Looker.
“He was the pick of the bowlers,” Kennedy said.
“He got the two big wickets – their two highest run scorers.
“He bowled some long spells into the slight breeze, so the quicks could come down breeze.”
The Hoppers Crossing players got to sing their club song for the first time this season and did so with gusto.
The Cats want to turn one win into two before the break and can do so when they host Bayswater in a one-dayer at Hogans Road on Saturday.
“We had a good chat on Thursday night after training, that if we could knock off the top side, we can put a bit of a line through the start of the season and get us going,” Kennedy said.
“If we can go into Christmas with a two-win stretch, then who knows what can happen after the break?”
