VSDCA 2020-21: Hoppers Crossing eyes finals as tough run home looms

VSDCA club Hoppers Crossing scored a tense victory over Yarraville in Round 9 after it appeared on track for an easy win.

Hoppers Crossing batsman Chris Henry gets on the front foot. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Hoppers Crossing came within a whisker of coughing up victory from what appeared an unlosable position in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association on Saturday.

But the Cats secured a tense win over western rival Yarraville to keep their finals hope alive, with the success leaving them in seventh spot on the ladder with a 5-1-3 record, equal on points with sixth-ranked Werribee.

Hoppers Crossing has not qualified for the top six since 2015-16 and had to deal with the departure of former captain-coach Jack Rhodes in December.

The club has recorded three wins and a tie from its past five North-West group matches, giving it confidence it can feature beyond the home-and-away campaign.

But a tough run home looms with clashes against Brunswick (fourth), Preston (third), Plenty Valley (second) and Williamstown (fifth).

“There is some belief. We’ve got a steady First XI now,” director of coaching Steve Frenkel said.

“We had a couple of changes earlier in the year with some personal and business decisions requiring some changes to our playing group.

“We’ve had a few people tried in different positions to see what’s comfortable for them and we believe the positions we’ve got players in at the moment are quite solid.

“The experience we’ve got with Trent Said coming back and taking over that captaincy role … you can see him keeping people in (the right fielding) position and keeping them honest and making the right bowling changes at the time.”

Relief was the overwhelming emotion on Saturday after Yarraville almost snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Eagles looked shot when they crumbled to 7-67 in response to Hoppers Crossing’s 7-153 at Yarraville Oval.

Josh Raymer (65 from 83 balls) and Mitch Cross (30 not out from 55) then threatened to complete a miraculous rescue mission, combining for an 81-run stand against all the odds.

But Raymer was knocked over by Gopesh Bhutani on the second-last delivery of the match as the visitors came up six runs short.

“It looked a lot tighter on paper than what it could have been or should have been,” Frenkel said.

“To get the win certainly makes sure we stay in touch with that top six with only a handful of games to go.”

Medium-pacer Bhutani finished with 2-37 from eight overs to take his season tally to 14 wickets at 12.1.

Jeremy Swan (2-29), Bhaumik Jani (1-15), Sanka Abeyruwan (1-24) and Brett Smith (1-41) also collected wickets.

“He (Bhutani) has been a bit of a surprise packet the last three or four weeks, consistently taking wickets, and bowling in good areas,” Frenkel said.

“He’s just a nice bowler who comes in and hits the deck. Probably a little bit faster than he looks when he runs in, but hits nice areas and has been picking up some wickets.

“He really does attack the stumps.”

Earlier, Chris Henry (34), Mason Frenkel (28) and Smith (24 not out) led the way with the bat.

The Cats will face Brunswick away from home in Round 10.