Subbies 2018-19: Oakleigh wins premiership after routing Elsternwick for 62
Elsternwick’s bid for its first premiership in 99 years ended at the hands of a superb Oakleigh side in the Sub-District grand final at Warrawee Park.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT was all over in a day. What might have been a fairytale turned into a flogging.
Elsternwick had made a remarkable run to the VSDCA south-west section grand final but it ended at the hands of an Oakleigh side as superb as it was ruthless at Warrawee Park on Saturday.
NOBLE PARK SPINNER SNAFFLES SEVEN
The Oaks hustled out Elsty for 62 and sped to 2-103 by the close of play, forcing Wicks captain Cam Christiansen to concede the match and his club’s bid for its first premiership in 99 years.
Oakleigh had already won the club championship as it sent three teams into the grand finals. Now came its ninth First XI flag in Subbies and its second in four years, deserved success for one of the competition’s most respected clubs. They are solid Oaks indeed.
Michael Splatt was crowned player of the match for a bowling performance that flattened Elsternwick’s batting in the first session.
He finished with 4-25 off 15 overs, a change of ends bringing him 3-13 off 11.
Splatt presumably shaded for the award left-armer Alex Jones, who nabbed 4-23 off 15.3, and Graeme Vimpani, who was 68 not out.
Splatt made the breakthrough, having Sam Roney caught behind for eight.
Jones took the second wicket, of Elsty’s retiring Brad O’Shea (14), well caught in the slips.
The sight of Elsternwick edges flying to sure-handed fieldsmen became familiar: the first nine wickets came from catches behind the wicket.
Splatt also claimed the coveted scalp of Christiansen (7) when he uncharacteristically slashed at a ball outside off-stump and snicked to wickie Miles Fabris.
Fabris finished with five catches — and 43 victims for the season.
Elsty were 3-34 off 20 overs at the first drinks break and 7-56 off 39 at tea, their hopes of raising a competitive total resting with big Will Long.
But early in the second session he fell to Geoff Latham for 14, Fabris again gleefully gloving an edge.
The end came after 44.3 overs when Jones trapped Will Smith LBW for two.
Elsternwick had clusters of supporters around the ground, but it was clear there would be no fairytale result against a team that bowled and fielded brilliantly.
Elsty paceman Andrew McGorian removed Oakleigh coach Andrew Splatt and captain Brendan McGuiness to leave the Oaks 2-17.
But soon former Victorian opener Vimpani was picking off boundaries with strokes as crisp as a fresh lettuce, cover driving Matt Shimell to the fence, then clipping him behind square for another four.
At 4.42pm Vimpani, a mid-season inclusion for the Oaks, found the boundary again through mid-off, bringing up his 50 and easing Oakleigh past its thin target. His half-century came off 45 balls and included 8 fours.
Only then could Oakleigh president Peter Webb relax; he had spent much of the day pacing across the Val Holten room like an expectant father.
By the close Vimpani was 68 not out, his new Gray Nicolls bat apparently all middle.
Left-hander Gareth Campbell, promoted for the grand final, lent him support with 29 not out.
With the Oaks 41 runs ahead and with eight wickets standing, Christiansen saw no point in returning for a second day.
“The season’s been really wide open. Anyone could win it from any position, but we’ve been playing good cricket in the last month or so and it’s great to get the job done today,’’ a beaming McGuinness said as he headed for a premiership rendition of the club song in the rooms.
“Our bowlers have been exceptional all year but to bowl them out for 62 today, incredible effort.’’
He tipped praise on Elsternwick, which came from tenth in the final round to finish sixth, defeat Caulfield and Melton in finals, and lift the club to its first grand final since 1965-66.
“Great effort from them. Huge run, a magic run, but it wasn’t their day today,’’ McGuinness said.
Ahead of the season McGuinness handed over the coaching reins to Andrew Splatt, who said he and the players were indebted to a stable and well-run administration headed by popular president Webb.
“The help we get … we can concentrate on just playing because a lot of people do a power of work to set things up at training and on match days,’’ he said.
“We don’t take that for granted at all.’’
For 47-year-old Vimpani, it made for a triumphant return to cricket and possibly a flourish into retirement.
The 2004-05 Oakleigh premiership skipper said he “just felt like a hit’’ but didn’t want to take another player’s position in the side.
“Started in the twos, had a good run, they put me up and here we are … can’t really believe it,’’ he said.
“I’m still trying to digest it all at the moment. It was almost the perfect game for us today.’’
Asked if he would play on next season, Vimpani said: “I’ll see if I can survive tonight first. But highly unlikely, mate. Highly unlikely. I’ve got a young family to occupy my time.’’
It was a tough loss for Elsternwick. In the previous three weeks it had had the cake. Now came the curry.
Christiansen said Oakleigh was “outstanding’’ and “played good, hard finals cricket’’.
“We weren’t able to cope with it, weren’t able to weather the storm. Lost clumps of wickets, which really hurt,’’ he said.
“But we’re a young group and we’ll learn a lot from this and there are exciting times ahead.
“I’m disappointed we couldn’t pull off the fairytale but it’s been an incredible few weeks. Been really enjoyable.’’
He paid tribute to O’Shea, saying he had given the club great service and was “an absolute legend of Elsternwick’’.
Oakleigh’s premiership team: Andrew Splatt, Graeme Vimpani, Brendan McGuinness, Gareth Campbell, Shane Townsend, James Campbell, Mick Splatt, Jeremy Devlin, Miles Fabris, Alex Jones, Geoff Latham.
Proof the Heat are rising
Two near-tons and a strong middle-order offering are signs of Frankston Peninsula’s improved status in Premier Cricket, according to Heat coach Peter Marshall.
The Jackson brothers: Pines cricket’s first family
It was a historic day in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association as five brothers played together in a First XI match, although there was some early friction.