Melton was a team in a hurry, sealing its semi final spot in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association north-west competition with more than a day to spare.
The Lions needed just under 79 overs to get the job done against Yarraville on Saturday in their qualifying final at MacPherson Park.
The Eagles won the toss and elected to bat and it proved to be the wrong decision, with the Lions bowlers running through the order, to bowl the Eagles out for just 70.
Lions playing coach Nathan Geisler said they would have made the same decision and batted if they had won the toss.
“We played on the pitch last week and we knew it was a little bit two paced,” he said.
“As I said last week getting those three key wickets [Matt Love, Matthew Harrison and Joe Billings] was the key and we had them out for about 30 runs.
“It put pressure on their middle order and they didn’t cope.”
Geisler had a day out taking 7-10, but he was quick to give praise to the whole bowling group.
“It was one of those days where everything went my way,” he said.
“We managed to hold onto our catches. The bowlers bowled well even when we weren’t taking wickets.
“There was half hour periods where we weren’t getting wickets, but they weren’t getting runs.”
With the first part of the job done, the Lions set about getting the runs and the win on the first day.
Geisler said they timed the chase perfectly.
It’s the second successive week the Lions have chased down low totals without much issue.
“There were four or five minutes left when we passed them,” he said.
“When we got the half decent start we wanted to get the result on day one. They weren’t keen to play on, so we were pretty happy not to have to play on Sunday.”
Matt Stead, batting at number 3, top scored, as the Lions finished on 3-72.
The Lions now host a home semi final against Williamstown for a spot in the grand final.
Now in the last four, the Lions have set their focus on going at least one step further.
“The final is at home and we’ve only lost one game there this season,” Geisler said.
“We play the conditions well.
“I said to the boys we’re down to the last four and we’ve got the chance to play off in a grand final.
“We’re trying to book a ticket into the big dance.”
