Eynesbury Eagles are hoping history doesn’t repeat as they close in on finals.
Last season the Eagles lost only two matches in the Western Suburbs Churches and Community Cricket Association’s A.E. Lowe Shield contest, before falling in the first round of finals and missing the chance to defend their premiership title.
This year, they’ve lost one game for the season and sit well clear on top of the ladder as the regular season winds up.
President Jim Herlihy said the boys are hungry enough and want success.
“We need to carry this form into finals,” he said. “I keep reminding them they’re in the same position as last year.”
Herlihy said the club had lost seven to eight players from the top side, and had done a great job covering them.
“We got the two Castle brothers [Luke and Hayden], and Graham Brooks was one of three players to come across from Manor Lakes.”
The Eagles have lost just 59 wickets for the season, with three batsmen dominating the competition. Hayden Castle averages 88, Luke Castle averages nearly 71 and Tristian Francis averages 54.50.
But on Saturday, the Eagles didn’t have it all their own way against Altona Sports in the final round of the season. The Eagles were all out for 243.
Herlihy said it wasn’t a bad thing not having a stand-out day with the bat, as it allowed everyone time at the crease.
“It was guys like Reece Andrews and Graham Brooks who got the runs. It was good that it wasn’t left to the same guys.
“It was good for the other guys to get a good opportunity with the bat, with us losing a few wickets.”
Herlihy said skipper Luke Castle had been keen to have a bowl at the end of the day.
This worked in the Eagles’ favour, as they left Altona Sports 3-37 at stumps.
The top side isn’t the only Eagles’ side on track to play finals, with seven of the clubs nine sides sitting in the top four.
Three of the four senior sides are in a finals spot, while four of the five juniors are likely to play finals.
It’s a long way from three years ago when the club didn’t have a junior side at all.
In other A.E. Lowe Shield matches, Rockbank is in control of its match against St Johns. Needing just a win or a first innings points loss to play finals, the Rams kept St Johns to 160.
The Rams will resume at 2-45 on day two next Saturday.
Taylors Hill, which is looking to finish its season on a high, made 8-176 against Williams Landing.
