St Bernard’s battles past Melton to stay in touch with VSDCA North-West top six

St Bernard’s did it the hard way against Melton to keep its VSDCA North-West season alive but will have to find another gear in 2021 to play finals.

Luke Davis in action for St Bernard's. Picture: Julian Smith

It wasn’t pretty but it might have saved St Bernard’s season.

The Snowdogs battled to a four-wicket win over Melton on Saturday, chasing down 125 with just seven balls to spare at Murphy Oval.

It’s been a tough start to the VSDCA North-West campaign for last season’s semi-finalist, the weekend’s win just its second in the first five weeks.

Yet it sits just one win outside the top six heading into the Christmas break.

Coach Nigel Freebairn said batting had been an issue all season but was pleased to see two new faces stand up when required.

Tristan Kassis in action for St Bernard's. Picture: Hamish Blair

“It was a hard-fought win, we certainly made it harder than it needed to be,” he said.

“It wasn’t so much the overs, it was the fact we only had a couple of wickets left.

“We were cruising in the middle stages but we lost I think three or four wickets in quite succession with some reckless batting from some senior players.

“Really pleasingly, two new guys to the side in James Davey and Steve Shields really showed the necessary leadership and grit to steer us over the line.”

In just his second First XI game for the Snowdogs, Shields proved the match-winner.

He snared 5-21 with the ball to help skittle Melton and then combined with Davey in a match-saving partnership with the bat.

“Steve recently returned to Melbourne having played in Darwin and is living locally,” Freebairn said.

“He had a few games in the Second XI and he’s an all-round package – his late-order batting is quite good, bowling is quite good and arguably the best fielder at the club.”

Davey finished unbeaten on 37 and Chris Spinella scored 34, while Joel Mitchener almost stole the game for Melton with 3-19.

Freebairn said the team’s batting would have to improve significantly in the new year if it was to achieve back-to-back finals campaigns.

“It’s been a recurring theme unfortunately, the last two games we failed to bat our 40 overs,” he said.

“Our batting has certainly let us down, there’s only been a couple of guys that have stood up and there’s plenty that need to after the Christmas break if there’s any success to be had.

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“(The win) keeps us in touch, we’d certainly like to be on the other side of the win-loss ratio.

“We thought in the pre-season there would be a number of games that would come down to a few balls or a few runs.

“One mistake can be the difference and whilst we’re still in touch if we can win those close ones who knows what might happen.”

St Bernard’s returns to action on January 9 on the road against Williamstown.