Footscray United claims VTCA Division 3 premiership, second straight promotion

After three straight relegations, Footscray United is surging back up the VTCA ladder, claiming the Division 3 premiership with a superb come-from-behind victory.

Footscray United celebrates its VTCA premiership.

Footscray United is surging back up the VTCA ladder.

The Bulldogs claimed the VTCA Division 3 premiership with a stirring come-from-behind 2-1 grand final series victory over Grand United.

A 35-run loss in Game 1 last Saturday put the club on the back foot but it responded with a 68-run win and sealed the flag with a 21-run victory on Sunday, the club’s first premiership since 2015-16.

Grand final defeat last season helped sharpen United’s focus, coach Shafraz Mohamed said.

“I wasn’t a fan of standing at the presentation and clapping off the other team last year and all the boys delivered this season,” he said.

Footscray United bowler Frank Hoang. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Footscray United bowler Muhammad Fahim Arshad. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Grand United batter Hashan James makes his ground in front of Footscray United keeper Chathura Milan. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“It’s massive for the club, to come from Division 4 last year, we lost the granny but got promoted, and to win it this season is massive.”

The last seven seasons have been nothing short of a rollercoaster for the Bulldogs.

A Division 3 premiership in 2015-16 was followed by three consecutive relegations from Division 1 in 2016-17, Division 2 in 2017-18 and Division 3 in 2018-19.

United lost the Division 4 semi-final to Grand United in 2019-20 and went down to Sunbury last season before finding redemption.

Mohamed, a Senior Division premiership player at Keilor, was proud of the club’s transformation.

“I was at Keilor but I wanted a new challenge, so I found Footscray United – a club with great culture and great blokes,” he said.

“They’d had a few demotions but I got there and I said we’ll play with what we have and we made a grand final.

“We recruited a few players, found a few sponsors and bang we had a good side, so I was pretty confident.

“(Game 1) was close, I think we gave it away, so we went to the beach, had a good recovery and came back the next day and nailed it.

“I just said don’t put grand final pressure on yourselves, just enjoy the game, that’s how we play our best cricket.

“We took that momentum into Game 3, as you know in any sport momentum is massive.”

Young gun Daniel Melican was awarded the grand final medal after an outstanding series.

Just 17 years old, Melican was a match-winner in Games 2 and 3 with 49 and 1-18 and 52 and 1-18 and also took 4-23 in the semi-final.

Mohamed claimed seven wickets, Syed Hussain hit 38 and 41 in the opening two games, Chathura Milan scored 56 in Game 2 and Lahiru Kumara produced 54 and 4-38 in the deciding Game 3.

Footscray United’s Frank Hoang bowls Sachin Noragal of Grand United. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Grand United batter Hashan James. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Grand United batter Matthew Hayes. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Mohamed said the club’s homegrown talent was outstanding.

“The biggest thing for me as coach was two homegrown talents performed in the semi and grand final,” he said.

“Danny Melican won the grand final player of the series, he’s come such a long way, and it means to lot to the club.

“He stood up to the occasion, we were on the backfoot when he went in to bat and he got it done for us.

“For Danny and Frankie Hoang to stand up is pretty good.”

After five wickets in the grand final series, including 3-19 in the pivotal Game 2, Ashen Abeykoon finishes the season with a remarkable 40 wickets. Mohamed finished with 30.

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After three straight relegations, asked if three straight promotions was possible, Mohamed was blunt.

“I’ve got no doubt, 100 per cent (we can),” he said.

For Grand United, itself chasing two premierships in three seasons, opening bowler Matthew Hayes was outstanding, claiming nine wickets.

Nilan Wannakuwaththa Waduge scored a pair of half-centuries, 67 and 58, in Games 1 and 2, while opening bat Jayden White-Powell also impressed with 47 and 35 in the opening two games.