Premier Cricket 2018-19: Monash Tigers score 44-run win over St Kilda

In the shadows of the nearby St Kilda festival, a youthful Monash Tigers danced to a 44-run victory over bogey side St Kilda on the back of a century from debutant Campbell Vadlja.

Daniel Sartori goes a cut shot against St Kilda. Picture: Andy Brownbill

In the shadows of the nearby St Kilda festival, a youthful Monash Tigers danced to a 44-run victory over bogey side St Kilda on the back of a century from debutant Campbell Vadlja and a spirited bowling performance.

Vadlja’s heroics, when he cracked 180 in his maiden First XI appearance, set up Monash’s declaired total of 7-346 at the Junction Oval.

St Kilda opener Josh Manning then replied with 146, his third century of the season, to give the Saints a look at reeling in the target.

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But leg-spinner Tom O’Connell wove some magic shortly after the final drinks break, removing both O’Connell and Patrick Rowe (31) in the same over to bring the contest back in Monash’s favour.

Manning and Rowe took St Kilda to 5-250, leaving the home side as favourites with 19 overs remaining before O’Connell’s double strike.

It’s time for a refreshment. @MonashTigers skipper @Sarts25 shares an ale with young Tiger Campbell Vadlja after his record breaking @vicpremcricket knock. pic.twitter.com/3CQ4qMd6LY

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) February 11, 2019

They’d be popping corks in Mildura. Campbell Vadlja, son of Sunraysia cricket great Tom, hit 153 not out for @MonashTigers on @vicpremcricket debut. Remarkable knock.

— Toby Prime (@T_Prime2) February 9, 2019

Incredible game of cricket. A side with average age of 21.5 showed a lot of guts and fight over the last 2 days. Bloody proud of the boys, they deserve this win! Go again next week now! #Tiger 🐯 🏏 https://t.co/sfxcXSpIFv

— Sam Kindlen (@samkindlen) February 10, 2019

Still needing to go at about five runs an over, Josh Bartlett and Jarrad Munday edged St Kilda closer to the target with a 46-run stand for the eighth wicket.

But captain Daniel Sartori’s decision to bring Andrew Humphries back into the attack paid immediate dividends, with the medium-pacer quickly wrapping up proceedings.

Humphries bowled Bartlett and had Munday caught behind in the first over of his spell before pushing back Todd Murphy’s off peg in his second over as the Saints were dismissed for 302, giving the Tigers their sixth win of the season.

Sartori rated the victory among the best in his career. The Tigers had five players 20 years or younger and were without veteran Sam Taylor, who will miss the rest of the season with a thumb injury

Josh Bartlett searches for a wicket. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“One of the best wins of the year, one of the best wins I’ve played in a long time, if not one of the best wins I’ve probably played in ever,” he said.

“To have a kid (Vadlja) do what he did on Saturday and then to put an effort like that in the field on Sunday on a flat wicket was fantastic.”

O’Connell took 3-119 from 20 overs and Humphries 3-20 off seven, while left-armer Blade Baxter finished with 2-32 off 16 overs.

Sartori said he hoped his side could build belief from the result, sitting two points outside the eight on a congested ladder and needing to win its final two games against Greenvale and Essendon to play finals.

“The belief after a win like that is huge in such a young group we had, I think if you get used to winning it can become a habit,” he said.

“The belief is definitely there after a win like that.”

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