By Tim Doutré
WERRIBEE Cricket Club finished the season on a high knocking flag fancies Williamstown off top of the ladder in the final round of the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association season on Saturday.
It was a team effort for Werribee, which lost its shot at a finals berth after a disappointing loss last week.
With the bat, Mitchell Chadwick top scored with an unbeaten 57 in the middle order and was well supported by Travis Bean (39), Damien Abbey (36), captain Paul Murray (22), Travis Dean (33), and Matthew Thomson (39).
Werribee batted out the 45 overs to finish at 5/255.
For Williamstown Rohan Smith finished the day with 2/56 off eight overs.
Werribee’s bowlers had all the right answers, led by a four-wicket haul from Adam Alifraco (4/34) Williamstown struggled to stay afloat.
Thomson struck early to have opener Craig Sheedy out for a duck but Williamstown pushed on and were travelling well at 3/114, Smith top scoring with 49.
But wickets fell for little reward after that as Alifraco cleaned up the tail to have Williamstown all out for 169, 86 runs short.
Williamstown president Andrew Davies said the side needed to lift for next week’s semi-final clash with Mt Waverley.
“We will need to get back a bit of confidence.
“We have gone from first to second but we still play a home final next week against Mt Waverley, who beat us comprehensively last time we played them,”
“(Mt Waverley) are a very good side, they beat us two weeks ago. We needed to fight back and regain some confidence otherwise it will be the end of the season.”
In other matches Box Hill gutted Broadmeadows in a dominant display to take top spot on the ladder, Mt Waverley beat Oakleigh in the battle for third spot, Melton beat Sunshine, Noble Park accounted for Croydon, Bayswater took care of Endeavour Hills and Altona beat Yarraville.
In the semi-finals Williamstown will host Mt Waverley, while Box Hill will take on Oakleigh.
