VSDCA 2020-21: Williamstown chases down big score to beat Yarraville

After a patchy start to the VSDCA season, the Seagulls recovered from a top-order collapse to claim victory in a must-win fixture.

Patrick O'Malley held Williamstown together with 87 at the top of the order. Picture: Hamish Blair

After two flags in the past three summers, Williamstown’s start to 2020-21 was underwhelming by its lofty standards.

The Seagulls defeated rivals Werribee by seven runs in the opening round of the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association campaign before a shock loss to Preston and a tie against Melton (on Duckworth-Lewis) in a rain-affected fixture.

A team chock-full of batting talent, they failed to make more than 180 in each of those matches.

In what captain-coach Brett McMinn described a “must-win game” on Saturday, Williamstown needed more than a run a ball to score its second win of the season after Yarraville stacked up a formidable 4-241.

But at 4-62, any hopes of knocking off the runs were fast fading.

Opener Patrick O’Malley had watched the carnage unfold from the other end before he found a willing ally in Matt Dervan.

The pair combined for a crucial 103-run stand to drag their team back into the contest before O’Malley departed for a superb 87 from 80 balls, with his hand featuring 7 fours and 3 sixes.

Dervan, who compiled 74 from 73 balls including 10 boundaries, was next to go with 20 runs needed.

After Sean Sturrock fell for a duck, James Cook (35 not out from 27) and Jarrod Flood-Bauce (11 not out from 5) held their nerve as the Seagulls reached 7-244 with four balls to spare to complete a memorable triumph.

“Pat O’Malley and Matt Dervan played real professional innings. They’re super players … and it gives them a lot of confidence,” McMinn said.

“They’re younger guys and it’s good to see them do well.

“James Cook at the end, ‘the finisher’ as we call him, he’s got us out of trouble a lot of times over the years and he still just keeps getting it done. It’s good to have someone like him in the team, knowing that he comes in at No.7 and they’ve still got to get him out.

“They’re all two-time premiership players, and that experience they’ve got from those years of playing in teams that are confident and winning all the time … they bring it to the table in games like this and big games.

“Even though they’re young, they’ve got a lot of experience under their belts from playing in big games. It really helps them in situations like that.”

McMinn, who piled on 667 runs last season, conceded he was out of form after contributions of 16, 13 and 9.

But he took positives from the fact his side had managed to lift itself to fourth position without his usual significant contribution.

“I’m just so happy the other boys are getting the job done for us” he said.

“I was super proud of their efforts.”

McMinn also heaped praise on Yarraville for posting a score he said was “above par”.

Eagles opener Josh Hahnel continued his red-hot form, racing to 52 from 60 deliveries before he was bowled by mate McMinn.

Hahnel has 288 runs at 96 to his name this season, with his tally highlighted by centuries against Altona and Coburg.

McMinn said Hahnel was a “huge talent” who will “most likely be playing Premier Cricket at some stage”.

Williamstown will next face third-placed Plenty Valley in a bumper Round 5 clash.

“It was a really critical game for us against Yarraville,” McMinn said.

“To chase down 240 against a good team gives us huge amounts of confidence going forward.

“It just shows we’ve got that depth.”