By Tara Murray
A number of hard years of work has paid off for Melton South Royals, who have claimed their first Victorian Turf Cricket Association top grade premiership.
While the final day of the Evans-Clark season didn’t pan out as how the Royals would have hoped, with the grand final against East Coburg ending in a draw, the outcome was something they had dreamed of.
Less than 12 overs were bowled on Saturday when the game was called off after heavy rain during the week left the wicket wet.
The Royals, who were the higher ranked team having finished in third, was awarded the premiership.
Opener Blake Ivory said it was a pretty weird feeling.
“It’s a hollow feeling, you don’t want to win it that way,” he said. “We wanted to win it or lose it on the field.
“We had a lot of rain on Thursday and Friday and it was dangerous.”
East Coburg was 4-19 in reply to the Royals’ 171 when the match was called off. Ivory said they had worked all morning to try and get the pitch dry.
Saman Kumara Muthuwadige took 3-6 for the Royals.
Ivory said had it been a regular season match they would have called it off completely.
He said the premiership was something they had been building towards for a number of years and felt it was something they deserved.
“We felt it was a reward for a consistent season, a couple of pretty consistent seasons,” he said. “We finished in third. We lost the last three games for various reasons but we were able to beat everyone but Sunshine YCW throughout the season..
“We felt like we couldn’t have done much more.”
The premiership is the club’s first top grade flag since joining the competition. Ivory, who has been there through the highs and lows, said the club had come so far in that period of time.
“It’s a huge achievement for the club,” he said. “I’ve been here for 12-13 years.
“We really struggled those first few years I was here and the amount of work put in is amazing.
“We were in the Williamstown competition and cellar dwellers there. We slowly built the club up and we’re now in division 3.
“We have got a turf wicket, new club rooms and juniors.
“I’m so proud of the side. What happened in the grand final is only a small part of that.”
While the Royals top side claimed the premiership, their second XI fell short against Footscray Angliss.
It’s the fifth time in seven seasons they have lost the grand final.
Ivory said they were beaten by the best team all season.
Now with a new challenge ahead of them in division 3, Ivory said they were looking forward to it.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” he said.
