By ADEM SARICAOGLU
HOPPERS Crossing coach Darrel Brown has put the acid on his team to keep improving in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Senior Division.
After suffering a heavy opening round loss to Airport West St Christopher’s, the Cats bounced back in the best way possible on Saturday against Keilor at Hogans Road Reserve.
Coming into the second day’s play having already secured first innings points seven days earlier, Hoppers Crossing went on to beat the Blues outright by 10 wickets.
However Brown told Star on Sunday his side has been put on notice to make sure it doesn’t rest on its laurels.
“It’s still a young team in age but I think this is three seasons now that most of these guys have played together, and to get that experience is what the top division is all about,” Brown said.
“They know that this year is make or break.
“The guys have to lift now. It’s about time, and especially the younger guys.
“There’s no more excuses, so if we don’t make the finals, it’s a fail.”
Resuming the second day’s play only two wickets down in its first innings, Hoppers Crossing, brilliantly led by Brown’s 73, declared 98 runs ahead of Keilor before going on to bowl the Blues out once more for just 119.
Needing only 22 runs for victory, the Cats got the job done for no loss of wickets within five overs.
“We went pretty well, but in saying that Keilor didn’t have as strong a team as usual,” Brown said.
“But you still have to go out there no matter what and do the job, and for the second day my thoughts were to go for an outright win.”
Hoppers Crossing will again face one of its local rivals in Yarraville Club in round three, beginning this weekend.
Brown said it will be a good indicator of where his side sits in the Senior Division.
“It’ll determine a lot for where we go from there,” Brown said.
“You can’t afford to go backwards – you need to keep moving forward.
“It’s for us to now go there and stamp our authority and hopefully the weather holds up, because it’s going to be a really big game for us.”
