Victorian Premier Cricket: St Kilda sees off Melbourne Uni to stay undefeated

Skipper Adam Crosthwaite says St Kilda ‘haven’t really got a set team yet’ – but it’s still undefeated after 12 rounds.

Josh Bartlett lets one go for St Kilda against Melbourne University. Picture: Valeriu Campan

All season it has had players coming in and out of the side.

All season it has kept on winning.

Change has been the only constant at the selection table for St Kilda in 2021-22, and going into last Saturday’s match it had to bring in five players to accommodate Victorian call-ups for Marcus Harris, Peter Handscomb, Jonathan Merlo, Todd Murphy and Henry Thornton.

In came Josh Bartlett, Josh Manning, Tom Russ, Jack Cunnington and Sam Powell.

And up came another win, this time over Melbourne University.

The Saints were made to earn it.

Chasing 174 at the Junction Oval, they lost their seventh wicket with the score on 139?

Was a first defeat in the works?

No.

Bartlett (18no) and Will Lovell (20no) carried them through with an unbroken partnership of 38 as the Saints went to 11-1, eight points clear on top of the ladder.

St Kilda veteran Simon O'Brien goes at Uni. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Their seconds are also in first place.

Captain Adam Crosthwaite said the Saints had spoken about being undefeated but were placing no great emphasis on it.

“Yeah, we’re conscious of it,’’ he said.

“When you haven’t lost a game, you’re certainly aware of it. We’ve been riding pretty high. But the good thing about the group is that we’re pushing ourselves to learn and put ourselves under pressure.

“We know we’re far from playing perfect cricket, that’s for sure. We’ve got a heap that we’re working on.’’

Crosthwaite said the Saints “haven’t really got a set team yet’’.

He noted that Victorian players had gone in and of the side, and others had appeared in the Big Bash.

He said it had taken a “whole squad effort’’ to get to the top of the ladder.

“Everyone has lifted. Week in, week out we’ve gone in with a different group but everyone has done their job and we’ve found ways to win,’’ Crosthwaite said.

“Players have adapted. We’ve put them in different positions, which is great for their cricket and their development. The whole top seven are making runs, our bowlers are filling different positions and it’s a really good feel.

“We haven’t been reliant on one structure or just some players.

“But we’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves. We know it all changes once you hit finals. One-day cricket is 50-50. The teams that will play finals are all good and anyone can beat anyone on the day. We’re not too hung up about being undefeated. We’re happy we’re winning. We know some crunch times are coming but we’re looking forward to it.’’

Former Camberwell Magpie Russ was man of the match against Uni, claiming 3-39 off 10 overs with his spin and then hitting 41 off 53 balls after the Saints fell to 4-58.

Crosthwaite top scored with 42, taking his run aggregate this season to 408 runs at 68.

Meanwhile the Saints’ Dowling Shield team finished the Under 17 carnival with a loss to finalist Geelong, despite an innings of 110 from opener Hugo Hughes.

St Kilda had two and three losses.

It had two of the leading batsmen in the competition in Hughes (271 runs at 54.20) and Harry Dixon (291 at 58.20).