THERE was blood in the water before Werribee Centrals turned up to feast on the Seabrook Saints in a 213-run dismantling in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association west B1 at Bruce Comben Reserve on Saturday.
The Centurions have so often been on the receiving end of those kinds of margins in the past two summers so they were not about to miss out on their chance to dish out some cold-blooded punishment.
There was no let-up from start to finish as the Centurions pounced in their first back-to-back wins since player-coach Phil Crea was last at the club three summers ago.
Centurions top-order batsman Chris Duffin told the Weekly it was a welcome change of fortunes.
“The last two years have really been beyond hard.
“No one likes losing and you’ve really got to make the most of it when you do win.
“The moment you have success, you start to play more positive cricket and you enjoy it a lot more.”
The Centurions had a mammoth 323 to defend on the second day.
That was built on the back of a vintage display from Crea, who made 136.
The visitors left nothing to chance, wrapping up the first innings win in quick time, bowling out the Saints for just 110.
They missed out on the outright, but it was party time late on day two as 10 of the 11 Centurions had a chance to roll the arm over in the second innings, which the Saints negotiated to be 4-90 at stumps.
Duffin, who took the wicketkeeper’s gloves on late, was the only Centurion not to get an over.
“Believe me, for 80 overs I was doing arm circles and everything and couldn’t get the ball,” he said with a laugh.
“We came here to do a job and that was to get 10 wickets.
“We achieved that just after tea and that’s all we could ask for.”
A team’s cause is always boosted when it has Aaron Edrich steaming in from one end.
The speedster finished with 5-20 off 11.4 overs and hit former teammate Ashley Dorricott twice on the arm, requiring a visit to the doctor for X-rays.
His bowling was fast and furious, extracting snicks from the batsmen, and was supported by his fielders.
“It was just good fast bowling,” Duffin said. “He really had the ball zinging through.
“He’s the best bowling in the comp by a country mile in our opinion and he’s the quickest.”
Leg spinners Dean Giarruso (2-14) and Luke Allister (1-37) played their part in the win.
Young quick Sam Crea bowled in tandem with Edrich to take 1-23 off 10.
Duffin said there was no room for complacency with his side off to a 2-0 start.
“We know we’ve still got a long way to go.”
The Centurions will meet Sunshine Heights in a two-dayer at Galvin Park, starting on Saturday.
