Glenroy is eyeing back-to-back VTCA promotions as it prepares to face Westmeadows in Division 1 North decider
Isaacs Shield’s best batting team and best bowling team will go head-to-head for Division 1 North premiership glory and for Glenroy it could be back-to-back VTCA promotions.
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Glenroy has smashed its pre-season expectations and is on the verge of back-to-back VTCA promotions.
The Roys edged West Coburg by two wickets in a thrilling Division 1 North semi-final clash to set up a grand final date with minor premier Westmeadows.
With his club one step away from Senior Division, coach Sean Warren has been rapt with Glenroy’s progress in his first season at the helm.
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“We had expectations … we thought we might knock on the door of the top four,” Warren said.
“We set ourselves up early, before Christmas, with wins and that got us on a ride and we’ve clearly exceeded expectations.
“The last two games we didn’t bat very well and a few questions were being asked by opposition sides.
“We put it back on the boys to knuckle down and get back to the way we were playing our best cricket.”
Glenroy won promotion by reaching last season’s McNamara Shield Division 2 grand final but went down to Altona Roosters.
The Roys are chasing their first flag since their Clark Shield Division 4 triumph in 2013-14.
The grand final sets up a fascinating battle between the competition’s best batting line-up and best bowling attack.
Westmeadows were more than 400 runs better than any team in the competition during the home-and-away rounds as Chinthaka Jayasinghe (560 runs) and Tarek Moughanie (485 runs) finished one-two on the run-scoring charts.
Glenroy’s 120 wickets was clearly No.1 as evergreen spinner Steve Goodwin topped Isaacs Shield with 41 scalps at an incredible average of 8.93.
Warren said his team held no fears entering the four-day decider.
“Four days is a long grand final, it’s going to ebb and flow a lot, we’ve just got to back ourselves and our ability to perform at our best,” he said.
“We’ve got batsmen who can bat for long periods of time but we’ve also got batsmen who can take the game away very quickly.
“We’ve also got bowlers, like Steve Goodwin, that can bowl a lot of overs and are also wicket-takers.
“Both sides are attacking cricket sides. Over three or four days, there’s going to be plenty of opportunities for both teams.”