Tara Murray
Darley’s incredible run in the Ballarat Cricket Association has continued with the Lions aiming to make it a hat trick of titles this Saturday.
The Lions won through to the decider against Golden Point after beating Naps-Sebas in the semi final on Saturday.
Lions coach Brian Wheelahan is thrilled by what his side has been able to achieve the last few years.
“It’s an enormous achievement to put ourselves up there again,” he said. “It’s a magnificent performance.
“I’m really proud and a lot of work has been put in to get the right people at the club.
“I play a minor piece in this. The players are never out of a game and we’ve gone from challenging once every four years to being a respected powerhouse in the competition.
“It’s a chance to make a bit of history.”
The Lions didn’t have it all their own way in the semi final against Naps-Sebas.
Naps-Sebas made 6-183 from their overs with Corey Hucker top scoring with 40.
Rahmatullah Khwaja took three wickets but was expensive.
The Lions got to 0-57 before losing Mitch and Brodie Ward in quick succession. That would be the only hiccup as the Lions went on to make 2-187.
Dilan Chandima was the star of the show, making 112 not out.
Wheelahan was full of praise for Chandima.
“They got momentum at the back end of their inning and then Dilan just started the way as the champion that he is.
“He and Hasi (Hasitha Wickramasinghe) were so in sync and it was a great partnership.”
Chandima in his first season at the Lions has made 879 runs at an average of nearly 68 runs a game. He has scored three centuries.
Wheelahan knew they were getting a gun player, but didn’t expect this from him.
“We said to him we know that you’re a class player but we don’t expect the numbers you made last season.
“He’s a class act and with his bowling would have something like 20 wickets too. He has taken on the responsibility of being our number one player.
“The professional he is, there is one more game left that he is focusing on.”
For Wheelahan, making the grand final is pretty special. He said many people wrote of the side when Danza Hyatt headed back home to the West Indies.
He said everyone stepped up and played their role to get them back to the decider.
The Lions will face Golden Point in the grand final. It’s a third straight season, the two sides have been the top two teams.
The Lions third XI and under-17s are also through to the grand final.
