Yarraville Club wins its 10th VTCA Senior Division premiership in 18 seasons

Yarraville Club is back on top of the VTCA with the powerhouse club winning its 10th Senior Division premiership in the last 18 seasons.

Yarraville Club is back on top.

The VTCA Senior Division powerhouse clinched the 2022-23 premiership with a six-wicket win on Sunday to deny Deer Park a slice of history.

It is the Clubbers’ first flag since 2017-18 but 10th in the past 18 seasons, re-establishing the club’s dominance of the competition.

Captain-coach Mitch Johnstone was awarded the grand final medal after a classy all-round performance, taking 4-49 on Saturday before hitting 32 not out – including the winning runs – on Sunday to guide his team home.

Johnstone felt his club had “pinched” a premiership, believing its season turned when the two-day matches returned.

Ash Sweet with his children after the grand final. Picture: Annie Sweet

James Damjanovski was a rock for Yarraville Club.

“It’s incredible, our club as come from a long way back … at stages after Christmas relegation was a possibility,” he said.

“To sneak in and play two really good finals, I’m very proud of the group.

“It’s surprising in a way but our two-day cricket, I’ve been told repeatedly that our two-day stuff was our one wood and that proved to be the case.

“For us to pinch a flag, I think it’s essentially pinching a flag, with so many kids in our team is exciting.”

“I think this group has a really different profile to the teams that have won flags previously.

“Previous teams had a lot of experience, whereas this team has three teenagers, two blokes in their early 20s and a 45-year-old – it’s a real hotch-potch sort of team.”

Asked to bat first, Deer Park was dismissed for 138.

James Leach held the innings together with a top-score of 37 but Ash Sweet (4-42) and Johnstone ripped through the Lions’ batting order.

Yarraville Club reached 0-48 at stumps on Saturday and quickly raced to 0-71 before Allister Powell (32) fell.

Trent Lawford was out for a third-ball duck, Chinthaka Jayasinghe holed out to long on for 22 off 20 balls and Sangaran Nandhalal (1) fell soon after as the Clubbers lost 4-26.

Chinthaka Jayasinghe in action for Yarraville Club. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Heath Beveridge in action for Yarraville Club. Picture: Andy Brownbill

However, vice-captain James Damjanovski was a rock at the top of the order and finished unbeaten on 52 from 192 deliveries.

Copping plenty of lip, Johnstone walked to the crease with the game in the balance and hit a stylish 32 from 51 balls to clinch victory.

It was a breakthrough moment for the skipper.

“I probably give it (sledges) a bit so I deserve to cop it sometimes,” he joked.

“It’s been 10 years of captain-coaching and 20 years of senior cricket, I’ve been a bridesmaid a lot or just bombed out in finals so I don’t know what to do right now.

“Ash bowled the house down and then I was able to apply some pressure and we bowled really well in tandem.

“We just needed a couple of good partnerships, we faltered a bit this afternoon, but James played a really calm and composed knock.

“He loves to take his time James, but he’s cool in a crisis, nothing phases him, and for him to come good (in the grand final) is a testament to him.”

Despite defeat, the grand final appearance capped a remarkable debut Senior Division season for Deer Park.

It had been a drama-filled final month with an outright win in the final round catapulting the club from eighth into finals before knocking off reigning premier Haig Fawkner in the semi-final after it was postponed a week.

Lions coach Mick Andriadis couldn’t have been prouder of his club.

“We probably played our grand final last week, we were terrific last week to score 280 and then bowl (Haig Fawkner) out for 180,” he said.

“All in all we’re rapt with the season, we made history – I think the first club ever to come up from Division 1 and play off in a granny.

“It would have been great (to win), obviously, but to our club’s credit, it’s been a rollercoaster year – the first game had a mankad then we had the dramas with Haig.

“It wasn’t the result we were looking for today but credit to my boys we fought it out well, we just needed a few more runs.

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“We put a focus on getting the main three batsman out for Yarraville in Lawford, CJ (Jayasinghe) and Sanga (Nandhalal).

“If someone had of said to me coming into the weekend that your going to get Lawford, CJ and Sanga out for a combined total of 22 runs I would have said bring on the trophy. It wasn’t to be, credit to Yarraville Club it was a really good team effort.”

Fawad Malook was Deer Park’s best with the ball, finishing with figures of 3-59.

Last week, Aberfeldie claimed the Second XI premiership with a 42-run win over Keilor.