“Everyone’s always written us off, saying we’re a good club but not an on-field successful sort of club. This is a surreal feeling.”
They were the words of Bundoora United president Grant Flack on Sunday morning, after his club won big in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association.
The first XI took out the Money Shield on Saturday, the second XI won the C Grade premiership and the veterans team and under-12s also won their respective flags.
“It’s a surreal feeling, when you look at everything that happened this season,” Flack said. “The combination of premierships and the success that we’ve had . . . it’s amazing.”
The first XI won their clash against Eltham with four balls remaining in their innings.
Eltham would have felt confident of victory after posting 7/228, led by the peerless Mark Minney’s 128. Scott Barnett was United’s best bowler, with 5/72 from a marathon 22-over spell.
Flack spoke of a long, anxious week awaiting day two of the game. A good start was imperative, and Mathew Ross and Corey Cogan put on 72 for the first wicket to lay a terrific foundation. Ross faced 96 balls for his stoic 25 before being caught.
Skipper Nicholas Curtin joined Cogan and the duo put on 78 for the second wicket.
Cogan fell seven runs short of a deserving century, out caught for 93 from 158 balls, an innings which included 11 fours and two sixes.
Curtin fell shortly after for a hard-fought 25, leaving Bundoora United 3/158, still with 70 runs needed to draw even. They edged ever closer, with the middle order getting starts but failing to capitalise.
When Rupinder Singh was run out, it gave Eltham a sniff, with United 7/223. But the not-out pair of Colin Sharkey (18) and Ashley Hamilton (four) got the runs required as the game drew to a dramatic close.
“It was an amazing game,” Flack said. “We couldn’t get Minney out . . . he’s a truly great player.
“We always thought we could chase it down and there were a couple of blokes who had questions put on them throughout the year, whether they were good enough to be playing in the ones, and they stood up when it mattered which was great to see.
“To look at the faces of some of the older blokes who’ve been around a long time and you could see how much it meant.”
DANIEL PAPROTH
