Coburg snaps VSDCA finals drought on back of swashbuckling openers

Swashbuckling openers Aaron Shellie and Aaron Ayre created club history this season leading the Lions to a drought-breaking finals appearance.

Aaron Shellie in action for Coburg. Picture: Hamish Blair

Coburg’s motto this season has been “live by the sword, die by the sword” and it’s rewarded the club with a drought-breaking VSDCA finals appearance.

The Lions return to the finals for the first time since 2016-17 on the back of swashbuckling openers Aaron Shellie and Aaron Ayre.

The pair finished one-two in the North-East group run-scorers charts – the first time in club history – Shellie with 636 runs just ahead of Ayre on 596.

Shellie’s total is the highest single season total since Glenn Edwards’ 642 in 1995-96 and fifth highest in club history.

“You wouldn’t have thought that at the start of the season,” Shellie said.

Aaron Ayre in action for Coburg. Picture: Hamish Blair

Aaron Shellie in action for Coburg. Picture: Hamish Blair

“Especially the year I had, you expect Nug to be up there because he’s a level above.

“He’s actually disappointed that I didn’t take enough wickets to be top-five in the bowling, so I let him down there.

“We’ll take No.1 and 2 for sure and hopefully we can keep going with it.

“You don’t want to finish top and then make nothing in finals, that’s all irrelevant now, this is what separates the boys from the men.”

Shellie and Ayre also finished among the competition’s top wicket-takers as well, Ayre finishing third with 28 scalps and Shellie sixth with 25.

It helped Coburg to a third-placed finish and secured a home final against Subbies newcomer Strathmore.

However, the club doesn’t have another batter in the competition’s top-50 and Jack Sheppard is the next best bowler, ranked No.34 with 16 wickets.

Shellie said the mentality wouldn’t change too much.

“It doesn’t change too much for us, we know what we do best and how we’ve won our games of cricket this year,” he said.

“We’ll stick to that and I suppose we live by the sword, die by the sword and hopefully it comes off for three more games.

Naman Sharma celebrates a wicket with Plenty Valley teammates. Picture: Hamish Blair

Connor McEvoy bowling for Plenty Valley. Picture: Hamish Blair

Simon Black bowling for Plenty Valley. Picture: Hamish Blair

“We’re pretty aggressive throughout the order, so we’ll keep backing that in.

“(Strathmore) have got some quality cricketers, they’ve been a powerhouse in the VTCA.

“They’ve got Chris Williams up there in the (run-scorers), so he’s going to be a key wicket.

“If you can get him you hope you can put them on the back foot but they’ve got blokes that have 300-plus runs throughout the order.

“They’re bowling was really steady, they hit good areas, and make you play, which I think is the recipe for success.”

The Lions warmed up with a 62-run win over Plenty Valley on Saturday, Ayre top-scoring with 70 and Shellie leading the bowling with 2-16.

Key contributions from Matt Kurban (35) and Dan Patrick (2-19) gives Shellie confidence his team won’t be relying on just he and Ayre.

“Kurbo has been batting at No.3 all season and we’ve stuck fat with him,” Shellie said.

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“He knows his game and doesn’t venture away from that, he’s our glue between a few rock stars – our bass guitarist I suppose.

“We don’t mind what he scores at, his role is not going bang-bang (losing consecutive wickets), and he’s put a couple of good 30s and 40s together now and he looks in good nick.

“Dan has had an up and down season but he’s come on in leaps and bounds with the ball.

“He got early wickets at Kew earlier in the year and got the two in batsmen this week, he hasn’t shown too much with the bat just yet but he’s going to be massive for us.”