By Charlene Gatt
TAYLORS Lakes Cricket Club has got the year off to a flying start after winning the second annual Twenty20 grand final against Moonee Valley.
A Lions dream team of first and second XI players dominated Lionheart Reserve to restrict Moonee Valley to an early 4/10, but a second wind saw the batting side pick up the pace to finish its 20 overs on 120.
In reply, Lions Rob Morgan and Paul Cutajar were respectable in the top order, while top scorer John Markham (45) helped get Taylors Lakes over the line in a tight finish.
Club president Ray Marshall was thrilled with the victory.
“It was a good win,” he said.
“We’re a synthetic side and they’re a turf competition, so they’re supposed to be better than us, but we beat them.”
The North West Cricket Association Twenty20 competition sees clubs involved in the association battle it out in four round robin Tuesday twilight matches between October and January, with the remaining two teams fighting for the $500 prize money.
This season saw the inclusion of several Victorian Turf Cricket Association clubs, with Taylors Lakes going up against three of those teams – Moonee Valley included – over the course of the competition.
Last year Taylors Lakes was knocked out of the inaugural contest in the semi-finals.
Taylors Lakes will also contest the Luscombe-Gibbs Trophy one day grand final this Sunday at Buckley Park.
The opposing team was yet to be determined at the time Star went to print.
