When Jacana took the ninth wicket in the first over after tea in Turf Cricket’s north B1 grand final on Saturday, it seemed a formality that the club would break its 42-year senior premiership drought.
But East Coburg’s last two batsmen had different ideas and for a while it looked likely the match would go into a fourth day and East Coburg may steal the win.
Picture gallery: Jacana v East Coburg
After almost two hours and a last-wicket stand of 53, the final wicket fell and the Lions could celebrate a 55-run victory.
“I hoped [it would not go into a fourth day], I wouldn’t have slept,”Jacana captain Shannon Bennett said after the game.
“We probably thought it was going to happen [the last wicket] and it didn’t.
“Credit to East Coburg. The last two boys hung around but we actually got there.”
Jacana started day three of the match 165 runs in front on its second innings, needing nine wickets for victory against the team which had been the best all year.
They got off to the perfect start with two wickets in the first half hour.
Wickets continued to flow and East Coburg was 6-36 at drinks and 7-42 shortly after.
Runs were hard to come by, as Jacana’s bowlers continued to attack with men all around the bat to put the pressure on.
The eighth wicket fell right on tea.
“We had runs on the board and two quick wickets at the start of the day saw the game was set up,” Bennett said.
“Towards the end, the last 15-20 overs, East Coburg really fought and it took us that long to get the last wicket. To be the best you have to beat the best and we are the best now.”
East Coburg was eventually bowled out for 120, with Wayne Cooper taking four wickets.
East Coburg’s Muddassar Hassan was named man of the match – he took 11 wickets and made 41 not out in his side’s second innings.
Hassan’s partner in the stubborn last-wicket stand, Kevin Dowsey, made just one of the runs.
It was obvious how much the premiership meant to Bennett and the club. Among the crowd watching the game were two members of the club’s 1972 senior premiership side.
“It’s unbelievable after 42 years. It means everything and caps off the hard work,” Bennett said. “It’s been 10-20 years of cricket for me, it’s just great.”
