DVCA 2020-21: North Eltham Wanderers defeat Epping

Confidence is building at North Eltham Wanderers after three wins to start the DVCA season, but a crucial test awaits.

Adam Tsapatsaris has been firing with bat and ball for North Eltham Wanderers.

North Eltham Wanderers have enjoyed a faultless start to the Diamond Valley Cricket Association season with wins over flag contenders Diamond Creek and Epping.

But the Wanderers knocked off that pair last season and finished the home-and-away rounds in sixth position.

In 2018-19, they ended the Barclay Shield campaign in ninth spot.

Captain Jake Lambert said the early run of success had given his team confidence it was good enough to test and conquer the best, but passing the consistency test remains North Eltham’s greatest obstacle.

“It’s knowing our best cricket is good enough, but doing it consistently (is the key),” Lambert said.

“We really wanted to put our best foot forward and play cricket on our terms, and I think we’ve done that.

“It’s a promising start and we hope now we can kick on and make the most of it.”

Lambert said the Wanderers were acutely aware they needed to “hit the ground running” in a season of one-day fixtures.

They have beaten Plenty by eight wickets, Diamond Creek by four wickets and Epping by four wickets in a red-hot start.

“We’re just really clear in our roles at the moment. We’re really confident in what the bloke next to us is going to do,” Lambert said.

“In the first few weeks, that’s really come to the fore. Once you see that strategy wins you games, the guys really believe in it and buy in.

“It’s only three games out of 14, but certainly pumped to be 3-0, and really setting the standards of how we want to play our cricket nice and early in the season and getting some short-term reward for it as well.

“We’re really driven to make sure we continue on with it.”

Lambert praised the efforts of new coach Matt Simpson, who ensured the club would be well-prepared for 2020-21 despite a truncated pre-season.

“We’ve been really particular in our practice, and with Matt Simpson coming on board as coach, he’s been really good,” he said.

“Even back when we were in lockdown, he was doing a lot of zoom fitness sessions and encouraging the wider group to be in really good condition for when we could get back to cricket.”

The Wanderers secured victory with 17 balls to spare at Eltham North Reserve on Saturday.

Adam Tsapatsaris (2-20) and Riley O’Donnell (2-36) helped restrict Epping to 6-177 from its 40 overs, with Shaun Barker top-scoring with 41.

The home side reached 6-178 with almost three overs remaining, with recruit Ben Roughsedge hitting 39 and Tsapatsaris blasting 35 from 21 deliveries.

Lambert said Tsapatsaris was in “extreme nick” having also posted scores of 51 and 48 to go with six wickets in the opening rounds.

Elsewhere in Barclay Shield, Heidelberg (6-154) remained undefeated with a win over Rosanna (129), while Plenty (6-151) was too strong for Banyule (137).

Macleod (8-152) scored its first win against Diamond Creek (7-141), leaving both sides 1-2, and Riverside (8-174) ensured Lower Eltham (159) stayed winless.