Tara Murray
Gladstone Park has completed the perfect season in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association Vic Kyte Shield.
The Burras needed just two games in the best of three grand final series against RMIT to seal the title on Sunday.
Burras president Sam Anastasiou said the whole club was super proud of the playing group.
“You rarely go through a season undefeated,” he said.
“It was all heart. All 11 players played for each other and the way the team united was the key.
“A team of individuals will never beat a united team.”
Anastasiou said they had added some recruits at the start of the season, which had strengthened the side, but the key was staying locked in and working hard.
The Burras won through to the grand final series with victory against Burnside Springs last weekend.
In the first game of the grand final series the Burras made 9-261 off 39 overs.
Ashan DeSilva top scored with 98 at the top of the order.
RMIT fell well short, bowled out for 182. Jaydan Moore took four wickets.
It was a tougher fight on Sunday in game two, with the Burras battling their way to 9-223 after being 7-164.
Tim Stephens top scored with 41 coming in at number seven as the lower order fired to put another big score on the board.
This time the result was closer, but the Burras did enough bowling RMIT out for 203 in the second last over.
Nathan Fitzpatrick was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets.
DeSilva was named player of the grand final series.
For Stephens in his first season at the club it had been one that he had really enjoyed.
“It’s what we have dreamed of,” he said. “It was a really attractive club to come to and they wanted to create a good culture and be successful on the field.
“We worked ourselves as hard as we could. We then executed what we were doing in the grand final and we were a cut above.
“The players just wanted to play for each other.”
Stephens said while the recruits had made a difference it was the home grown players that were the key in getting the premiership.
He highlighted the performances with the bat of Jayke Lloyd-Roeby. Lloyd-Robey scored 44 and 32 in the two grand final matches.
“The home grown players were the ones who were the ones who won the games at the tough moments.
“Jake had eight hits for the season and delivered inn everyone of them.”
The win means the Burras will be promoted back into the top grade, the George Luscombe Shield. The club was last in the top grade in the 2018-19 season.
Stephens said they were already keen to go up and challenge in that division.
