Mount Waverley teenager Angus Robbins hits maiden half-century to guide Roos to win over Coburg
Mount Waverley remains on track to make a return to the VSDCA finals for the first time since its 2015-16 premiership win after surviving a scare against Coburg.
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Mount Waverley remains on track to make a return to the VSDCA finals for the first time since its 2015-16 premiership win after surviving a scare against Coburg on Saturday.
A maiden First XI half-century from teenager Angus Robbins dug the Roos out of a massive hole, slumping to 7-49 after Jordan Ashby (3-24) claimed three early wickets.
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Robbins finished unbeaten on 61, partnering Alex Deuchar (13) in a vital 41-run partnership for the eighth wicket as Mt Waverley recovered to post 131.
Only Coburg opener Liam Richardson provided any resistance of note in reply, topscoring with 46 as the visitors were bowled out for 85 as the Roos posted a 46-run win.
Josh Rule (10) and Adrian Smith (11) were the only other batsmen to reach double figures, with Kurt Benjamin (3-12 off six overs) and Milan Fernando (3-31 off eight) both picking up three wickets.
Mt Waverley has missed the finals for the past two seasons, but with six wins under its belt and games to come against Kew (eighth), Endeavour Hills (14th), Ivanhoe (11th) and Brunswick (fifth), it is well placed for a return to the top six.
“I think the one thing that has changed is we didn’t necessarily (recruit), save for Paul Evans, who is an older bloke and has been around the traps for a very long time and adds maturity, but the rest of the team we all stuck together,” Mt Waverley captain Andy Power said.
“If you get blokes who have played cricket together for a while, it really helps so I think all of us being together and understanding each other’s games has really helped us in the close ones.
“This season we just have so much belief in our abilities to just stick to the plan.”
After five scores in the 30s this season, Power praised Robbins’ ability to play a matchwinning knock.
“He basically showed all of us older blokes how to play, to be honest,” he said.
“We really put it on him to think about keeping his concentration when he gets to 30 and 40 ... he stuck to his game, kept to his zones and got through to 61 so it was fantastic for him.”
Mt Waverley will travel to Victoria Park to play Kew in a two-day game starting on Saturday.
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