Malith Cooray, Reeve Evitts star as Keilor picks up critical VTCA win over Sunshine United

Such was Malith Cooray’s dominance in Keilor’s VTCA win over Sunshine United, the wins kept coming even after the match.

Malith Cooray was dominant for Keilor on Saturday. Picture: Hamish Blair

Malith Cooray was so dominant on Saturday he even won the club’s Christmas party raffle.

The gun all-rounder delivered a near-perfect performance in Keilor’s seven-wicket win over VTCA Senior Division rival Sunshine United at Joe Brown Reserve.

He started out taking 5-37 and three catches to limit the Tigers to 9-176 before smashing a match-winning 76 not out to get his team home (3-180).

Cooray’s 73-ball knock included eight boundaries and a pair of sixes, hitting the winning runs with four overs to spare.

The Blues’ UK import Reeve Evitts was just as impressive, snaring 2-38 and hitting 55 not out in a decisive 126-run fourth-wicket partnership with Cooray.

Rescuing the team from 3-54, Keilor coach Duncan Harrison heaped praise on the pair.

“Malith’s a very good player, he’s a complete cricketer,” Harrison said.

“You can never envision someone having that type of game but he certainly had a day out.

“Reeve arrived three or four weeks ago and has pretty much watched it rain since, so it’s nice for him.

“We’ve been watching him at training and thinking he’s quite talented – he’s a good prospect, he’s played one game for Worcester – and he was fantastic.

“We were 3-50 so the game was certainly in the balance, so I thought they terrific in that they absorbed a bit of pressure and took time to get in and once they got going continued to accelerate.”

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Sunshine United struggled to find top gear.

Cooray knocked over David Worthington in the first over and removed three of the top five batters.

Matthew Sipala (40no), Lahiru Kumara (36) and Hamza Ali (25) steadied the Tigers’ ship as the visitors posted 9-176.

Keilor’s chase got off to a difficult start as Tom O’Brien removed both openers and when Buddhika Algewatta trapped Jarryd Clements the hosts were in trouble.

However, Evitts joined Cooray in the middle and the pair knuckled down before counter-attacking and charging home.

The win sees Keilor jump into the top-four, ahead of Aberfeldie and St Albans all on 12 points.

Harrison said the lack of cricket in recent weeks had been frustrating and the victory had been a much-needed boost heading into Christmas.

“It’s been a bit frustrating with the lack of cricket, so it was awesome to just be back out there,” he said.

“We just spoke about enjoying the day and going into the Christmas break on a positive, which keeps your season alive in the season half.

“We just want to play our best cricket and if we can do that then finals takes care of itself.

DDCA: LOCAL CRICKET GIANT IN POINTS BREACH BATTLE

LEADER: GET YOUR LOCAL CRICKET NEWS HERE

TALENT: YOUNG GUNS WHO LIT UP COUNTRY WEEK

“The competition is so close, every team is quite capable, so every week you’ve got to turn up.”

Keilor returns to action in the new year with a one-day match against ladder-leader Deer Park.

Elsewhere in Senior Division, Deer Park (7-206) claimed a 51-run win over Druids and Sydenham-Hillside (2-147) powered to an eight-wicket win over Westmeadows (146).

Yarraville Club (6-174) held off a determined Craigieburn to win by 10 runs and Aberfeldie (6-154) snuck past St Albans (8-148) by six runs.