By LIAM TWOMEY
WERRIBEE and Altona played out a thrilling draw in their Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association qualifying final on the weekend.
The result means Werribee progresses through to the competition’s semi-final because the Tigers finished higher on the ladder after the home-and-away season.
For Altona, their VSDCA season is now over.
In what looked like it had the potential to be a miss-match on paper, the top of the table Tigers met the sixth placed A’s at Chirnside Park, with Altona winning the toss and batting first.
The A’s found it tough to score throughout their first innings with the strong Werribee bowling line up producing some of the most measly spells of the season.
Heath Pritchard was outstanding, taking 4/14 from his 20 overs on day one.
Pritchard’s figures also included 13 maidens.
Not to be left out, Jonathon Burton (13 overs for 12) and Matthew Thomson (14 overs for 25) were also brilliant.
Aaron Maynard was the only batsman to look comfortable against the quality bowling, fighting his way to 40 not out.
Soon after, rain stopped play on day one with Altona at 5/70.
When the match resumed on day two, Altona was on the hunt for quick runs as the A’s set about giving their bowlers a strong target to defend.
The break in play did nothing to stop Maynard, who continued to look right at home in the middle.
Arguably the competition’s best batsman, Maynard added another 52 to take his score to 92 not out.
He was well supported by Lee Elmore who made 44 and helped lift the total to 5/163 when the innings came to an end.
Werribee had 76 overs to chase down the score and the innings got off to a disastrous start.
The Tigers lost Matthew Dean, David Wolfe and Shaun Dean all cheaply to crash to 3/23.
There was no letting up from the Altona bowlers with another wicket coming just eight runs later to leave the Tigers reeling at 4/31.
Luckily for Werribee, gun batsman Tim O’Brien remained at the crease and was a rock at one end.
O’Brien guided the Tigers through the next 40 overs to settle the innings.
He was eventually dismissed for 38 with the score at 5/85.
From there Werribee got back in control of the match, with the club moving its way to 5/124 when play was eventually called off.
In other finals results, Bayswater beat Box Hill and Oakleigh defeated Noble Park.
