Hoppers Crossing is not ready to wave the white flag just yet in sub-district cricket.
While the Cats are no longer in finals contention, they want to keep their pride intact.
And they did just that on Saturday, with a positive showing with the bat on day one against Endeavour Hills, away at Sydney Pargenter Reserve.
Hoppers Crossing posted a mammoth 9-291 declared, which easily eclipsed its previous high of the season, when it made 185 against Balwyn in round six.
This was a run feast of gargantuan proportions for the Cats, a side that was bowled out for just 19 at their lowest point this summer.
It was a genuine team effort, with no single player reaching the half century mark. Three batsmen – Daniel Leahy, Chris Henry and Tom Glover – shared the Cats top score of 45.
Not far behind that trio was Sanka Abeyruwan with 43, and there were valuable contributions from wicketkeeper Justin Goegan (33), tailender Hendro Dias (26no) and opener Adrian Myers (23).
A truck-load of runs gave Cats’ captain Greg Kennedy a rare chance to dictate play.
He gave his bowlers two overs late in the day, but Endeavour Hills made him regret that decision, taking 19 runs without the loss of a wicket.
Still, the early honours went to Hoppers Crossing going into day two as favourites for a turnaround on its season.
Meanwhile, in the VTCA north-west A1, it’s down to four teams and two survival spots, with just two rounds to play.
It sure is going to be a nervous month ahead for all sides at the foot of the VTCA north-west A1 ladder.
Incredibly, the bottom four – St Andrews (52.91), Werribee Centrals (52.29), Kingsville (52.22) and Williamstown CYMS (52.18) – all have 52 points.
Werribee Centrals will need to keep their eyes firmly on the ball, with the toughest assignment of all coming in the penultimate round on a visit to ladder-leaders Craigieburn for a two-day game starting Saturday.
In west A1, Seabrook’s top two spot is under fire after a second consecutive loss, this time by five runs in a thriller to Gellibrand.
The Saints will host Grand United in a mouth-watering one-versus-two battle at Bruce Comben Reserve on Saturday.
