VSDCA 2018-19: Bayswater hunting a maiden First XI Sub-District Cricket premiership
After five grand final defeats since entering the VSDCA 32 years ago, this season looms as Bayswater’s best chance at winning a Sub-District Cricket premiership.
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Last year it was Caulfield that stopped Bayswater’s charge.
In previous seasons it has been Oakleigh and Mount Waverley.
But in 2018-19, Bayswater is well-positioned for a tilt at a first VSDCA First XI flag in club history.
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Since entering the Sub-District competition in 1987-88, the club has made five First XI grand finals but has come away empty-handed on each occasion.
Baysie is hoping it will be a season of firsts: it secured its maiden Craig Shield (under-15s) in January and is chasing its first Ken Fewster Club Championship title, sitting 10.8 points behind leaders Oakleigh with two rounds remaining.
Bayswater president Rohan Pollard said this season was the club’s best chance at a First XI flag.
Ex-Queensland quick Matthew Gale, one of the competition’s boom recruits on the eve of Round 1, has taken 13 wickets and hit 227 runs.
Veteran Ben Osborne (479 runs) continues to turn out the runs, while Tim Sugumar (285 runs and 26 wickets) and captain Blair Allan (259 and 14 wickets) have made outstanding contributions with both bat and ball.
“They (Gale, Osborne and Allan) are three really experienced cricketers that have played Premier Cricket and we’ve got a good mixture of youth in there as well,” Pollard said.
“I think this is probably the strongest side we’ve had coming into a finals series.”
Bayswater sits a game clear atop the North-East section ladder, followed by five teams separated by a game.
Pollard has been at Bayswater since arriving in 1977 as an eight-year-old and played in the club’s most recent First XI flag in 1985-86 when it was in the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Association. He has also served as president for the past nine years.
His 78-year-old father Ken is a life member and his son Jack is making his way in the First XI.
Pollard said a First XI flag would mean “a hell of a lot” to his family.
“We’ve basically got three KPIs at the club. One was to win the J.G Craig Shield, which we did this year, our second one is the Ken Fewster Club Championship, which involves the whole four sides, and we haven’t won that but we’ve been runners-up … the ultimate goal would be to win a First XI flag in Sub-District,” he said.
“They have been, certainly in my addresses over the last nine years, that’s what I’ve highlighted to an audience.
“Obviously it’s really pleasing we have won one of those KPIs but the ultimate achievement would be the First XI flag.”
Caulfield swept to last year’s premiership in an undefeated campaign, Mt Waverley won a thriller in 2015-16 and there were three grand final defeats in four seasons from 1998-99 to 2001-02.
Oakleigh also up-ended Bayswater’s designs on premiership tilt in finals in 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Allan has played in the two most recent grand final defeats and is determined to be the club’s inaugural First XI premiership captain.
He said the club had created competition for spots.
“There’s three or four twos players that could easily be playing in the ones,” Allan said.
“I think this year we’ve got a very balanced team and we’re finding it hard to fit everyone in the team at the moment.
“I think we’re sitting in a good place at the moment and we’re not really relying on the one player … it seems to be that every game there is always someone stepping up.”
Allan said it would be “huge” if the club could salute on grand final day this season.
“The club’s really been building for this for the past five years and I think the culture we’ve got at the club is one of success,” he said.
“Really, the First XI premiership is probably the only spot we haven’t had that success in the last five years.
“It would mean everything for the club and the supporters.”
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