Craigieburn’s chances of a first win in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association north-west division season are evenly poised after day one of its match with Keilor Park.
It didn’t look that way early on, with Keilor Park in control and looking to post a good score.
Eagles playing coach Chris Laffan said they were happy to restrict Keilor Park to 224, considering what might have been.
“They got off to a fast start and we were able to reel them in,” he said.
“The way it was looking at 2-100 wasn’t good. One of their openers [Ethan McShanag] got 90-odd … once we got him out we were able to tie them down.”
The Eagles faced several overs at the end of the day and will resume at 2-57.
Laffan said they were backing themselves to get the win against a side also looking for its first win.
“To lose a couple of wickets, including one in the last couple of overs, hurt,” he said. “I think the game is evenly poised at the moment.”
In a bonus, the Eagles have added Josh Eaton to the side from Premier Cricket side Essendon.
Eaton took four wickets on debut.
Laffan said it was a no brainer to get Eaton in when he showed interest in joining the side.
“He’s a 22-year-old who lives in Craigieburn,” Laffan said.
“After spending the last two winters in England playing cricket, he wants to go back to enjoying playing cricket again.
“He’s played a lot of cricket with Sammy [Laffan] and Brodie [Warren]. He’s the type of player that fits into our group and wants to be involved with us.”
After the side was promoted in the off-season, Laffan said the players hadn’t found the gap between the two divisions too great.
“I guess we were pretty unfortunate in the first round,” he said of the game against St Albans. “We were sent in on a tough wicket, when not too many sides batting first got wins.
“Against Haig Fawkner, we got ourselves into a winning position and things didn’t go our way in the field.
“Warren Parker made 66 against us – we’d played against him in the lower grades.
“Some of the top sides have a bit more batting depth, but the last two weeks we haven’t felt out of our depth.”
In senior division, Greenvale Kangaroos need to make 265 for victory against Seddon, while Tullamarine’s task is even bigger after Yarraville Club made 4-339.
In north-west A1, Westmeadows is in control after day one against Kingsville. The Warriors made 5-235 before having Kingsville in trouble at 5-65.
