It was the moment when Victorian Sub- District Cricket Association bowlers realised their jobs had just got more difficult.
In just his second game back from 12 months on the sidelines with a broken leg, Mick Allen smashed 116 against Altona to guide Melton to victory.
That October innings dismissed any question that a season out of the game had reduced Allen’s standing as a superstar of the competition.
It also reaffirmed Melton’s position as a genuine premiership contender.
Allen was just happy to be back scoring runs.
“It was great to be able to spend some time in the middle,” he said.
“That was more the focus – not so much about what I scored but just spending time in the middle again and getting used to that.”
Allen’s last full season in the VSDCA, 2012-13, was one for the ages.
That summer the star batsman blasted 957 runs at an average of 73.62 and led Melton to a grand final victory over Werribee.
But on the eve of the following season, Allen broke his leg playing for Riddell in a Riddell District Football League grand final.
The injury forced him to the sidelines and left Melton’s depth tested, the side having already lost five other players from the premiership team.
Melton went on to finish the season in 12th spot with just three wins.
Allen said the toughest part about his time out of the game was not being able to help his teammates.
“You sort of feel a bit helpless and it’s frustrating,” he said.
“I just wanted to be out there to help the guys any way I could. Once the confidence dropped a bit for the guys, everything sort of fell away.
“Mind you, we did lose six players from the season before so I think that was a bit of a contributing factor as to why we didn’t go as well as we had been.”
It has been a much more enjoyable 2014-15 campaign so far for both Allen and his teammates.
Building on his hundred against Altona, Allen has maintained his form throughout the season, his 89 against Kew and 53 against Roxburgh Park Broadmeadows being among the highlights.
He is averaging 51.3 with the bat and has also returned to wicketkeeping duties, taking 10 catches.
Melton is also batting a lot deeper, with Nathan Geisler, David Kirk and Thomas Rogers all scoring hundreds, with consistent runs coming from Michael Alexander.
Melton president Kevin Vernon said the stronger batting had been a big factor in getting wins on the board.
The Lions hold a 7-3 record for the season and are third on the ladder.
“Last year we would be two or three down very quickly and the rest of the batting order would be under the pump,” Vernon said.
“With Mick at the top, it’s a lot easier to come in when you’re two for 150 than when you’re 2-15. He makes a huge difference to our batting line-up.”
In scary news for opposition sides, Allen isn’t yet back to full fitness.
He’s expecting to have pain in his leg for another couple of years and has been told by doctors the leg may never return to 100 per cent condition.
That isn’t slowing him down as Melton prepares for finals.
“We were on top last round and now we are third, and only a game and a half from sixth – everything is tight,” he said.
“We have touched on what we want to achieve.
“If we are there [in the finals] we feel like we can go fairly deep.”
As for his football career, that’s officially over.
“There is zero chance I will be playing again,” he said.
“That was always going to be my last game when I broke my leg, so I just made sure of it!”
