Tara Murray
Melton’s focus remains on playing one week at a time, not finals, despite a good recent run of form in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west.
With victory against Endeavour Hills on Saturday, the Lions have now won their last four games and sit just a game outside the top six.
Having gone without a win last season, Lions coach Mitch Stephens said they weren’t getting ahead of themselves.
“We have spoken about the confidence that the group has now,” he said.
“We’ve had some really good training sessions post-Christmas and that’s adding to the confidence.
“We have had conversations about finals, but it’s about taking it one week at a time. We play three teams in the top six in the last four rounds, so it’s just one week at a time.”
On Saturday, the Lions bowlers got the job done against Endeavour Hills.
Having put 7-282 on the back of 154 from Ben MacRae, the Lions were able to restrict Endeavour Hills to 9-194.
Joel Mitchener took 3-33, while Brad Jones took 2-30 for the Lions.
Stephens said it was a pretty even performance across the board with the bowlers, while their fielders backed them up, with a couple of run outs as well.
The win takes the Lions to five wins for the season, while they also won both their T20 matches.
Stephens said they need to just keep on doing what they’ve been doing.
“We’re coming off a few wins and there’s lots of confidence to play against anyone,” he said.
“JJ [Hibbert] and Benny [MacRae] have been giving us a good platform and the bowling group is backing them up.”
In good signs for the Lions, their other sides are getting some good results as well.
The fourth XI put on 45 for the final wicket to get victory on Saturday and now sit on top of the ladder.
The third XI sits in second place.
Stephens said a lot of hard work had been done the last couple of years.
“Over the last couple of years, Melton may have been an easy target, but something has changed,” he said.
“It’s a credit to the leaders who have put their hands up in the lower grades, it’s great to have that experience.”
The Lions next generation has also been on show in the J.G Craig Shield.
The Lions will play off against Kew in the quarter finals on Tuesday.
Stephens said Mitchener had done a lot of work with that group and they would join in senior training in the next couple of weeks.
