Tara Murray
A below performance with the bat proved costly for Epping in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association Barclay Shield grand final on Saturday.
Needing 174 to claim the premiership after Rosanna made 9-173 on day one, the Pingers knew they needed a good day with the bat.
Having been their downfall at times during the season, Saturday was going to be the biggest challenge the side had faced this season.
They were left disappointed after not putting it together, as the batting order collapsed on Saturday.
The run chase started well, with the openers getting to 0-34, before the wickets started to fall.
The Pingers quickly went from 0-34 to 5-46. The wickets continued to fall, with the Pingers soon all out for 78, in the 62nd over.
Pingers coach Daniel Bramich said it was a tough day out and they just didn’t perform how they would have liked.
“Rosanna had a game plan and executed it really well,” he said. “All season our batting has been a little bit up and down and didn’t turn out the way we wanted it.
“It wasn’t to be our day and we got outplayed.”
Skipper Thomas Emmins top scored with 22, as just three players reached double figures..
Bramich said they had a pretty special group of players at the club that would hopefully achieve that premiership success.
“We’re not too far away from it,” he said. “We’re doing it the hard way. We made a preliminary final last year and a grand final this year.
“Hopefully we can get the premiership next year.
“It’s not just one game of cricket though, we have to get through the whole season and go for it again.”
While disappointed not to walk away with a premiership, Bramich said there were a lot of good things to come out of the season.
A few younger guys got opportunities in the top side at times, while the club walked away with two premierships, a women’s premiership and the second XI claimed the premiership.
Bramich said there was good signs across the club.
“At one stage in the pre-season it looked like we would struggled to get 22 players for two sides,” he said. “There’s plenty of depth across the side.
“To have three full sides and the twos winning a premiership. There’s a lot of young talented boys who will put pressure on stalwarts.
“They are still really good cricketers, so the younger ones will have to play their best to take their spots.
“Hopefully a couple can do that and hopefully we can win the premiership next year.”
Bundoora will return to the Barclay Shield after beating Eltham in the Money Shield grand final on Saturday.
