Tara Murray
It was a grand final heartache by the smallest margin for Werribee in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west.
Aiming for a hat-trick of grand final wins, the Tigers were the underdogs against Spotswood, which had been the team to beat all season.
Having only won their semi final in the final over of the day, the Tigers and their fans were again on the edge of their seats.
Tigers coach Tim O’Brien said to lose like that was disappointing.
“To go down by one run, it was a good effort to get so close,” he said.
“It was definitely disappointing. Had we got those last two runs it would have been a triumph.
“Had we got up it would have been better than last week.”
There were plenty of heroes for both sides.
The Woodsmen made 6-251 on day one of the match.
Ross Horkings made his third century of the season, making 116 after him and Taylor Tatterson put on 102 for the first wicket partnership.
Michael Kelly took three wickets for the Tigers, while Jonathon Burton took two wickets.
O’Brien said they had done a good job of pinging the Woodsmen back late in the day.
“I thought we did a really good job of pulling them back,” he said.
“They were looking at 270 which would have been really tough to chase down.
“We didn’t get the early wicket, but the guys fought all day. Needing 250, on a quick ground, I backed the boys in to get them.”
On day two, the Tigers were in slight it of trouble at 2-41,
Tim O’Brien, Nathan Taylor and Ryan Alifraco all soon went, leaving the Tigers in trouble at 5-118.
Shaun Dean gave the Tigers some hope with his class in the middle order ticking the scoreboard over.
Not for the first time the Tigers lower order was called upon to try and get the job done.
James Freeman and Burton put on 62 for the seventh wicket partnership to take the score past 200.
O’Brien said those two again showed that they were never out of a game.
Freeman fell for 52 and then Matthew Harmer fell for five, leaving the Tigers 8-234.
The match came down to the final over, with the Tigers needing 12 for the win.
Burton hit a six to make it six off four balls, with the Tigers back in the mix.
But Horkings, who would be named man of the match, stood up again.
The wicketkeeper took a stunning catch to dismiss Burton and turn the fortunes of the match back in the favour of the Woodsmen.
It came down to the final ball, with the Tigers needing three for the win.
O’Brien said had that catch not stuck, the match would have likely ended differently.
“We didn’t have any luck on both days,” he said.
“Jonathon nearly won the game off his own bat. The keeper takes an unbelievable catch. He doesn’t take that, it’s four runs and we win the game.”
Shaun Dean top scored with 56, Burton made 52.
O’Brien said while they hadn’t got the result they were after, the team had come a long way. It’s the fourth straight season they have made the grand final.
“We were 10th early in the season and not in position to play finals,” he said.
“The last game we lost was against Willy early in the season. We played our best cricket at the right time of the year and it came down to the last ball or the last game which is unbelievable.
“Hopefully we can get everyone back and go one step further.”
