By Jonty Ralphsmith
Over the Christmas period, the Journal’s sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2023.
Thank you for supporting our newspapers over the course of the year. We hope you enjoy the selection and have a wonderful holiday period, however you choose to celebrate.
One small step for the team, one giant leap for the club.
In the words of Neil Armstrong, that is what the first game of Lynbrook’s season represented.
A win for Lynbrook was impossible on Sunday afternoon…until it wasn’t.
The Lakers had twice got themselves into winning positions, reducing Silverton to 6/70 before allowing them to get to 183, and then losing quick wickets after a 50-run opening partnership.
With the first hour of day two lost due to rain, Lynbrook’s attention turned to a draw.
A test of mettle for a club which struggles to cope with pressure.
But the team that faced the Bakers was a different Lynbrook: there were six players making their club debut.
For the first time in the offseason, the club recruited.
“I put it to the boys last season ‘are you happy to continue to be a social cricket club or do we want to push ourselves to be a bit more serious,” club president Shayne Loughnan said.
“The consensus from most of the group was to keep pushing and look to the future.
“So we thought ‘ok, let’s recruit players and look to push as hard as we can to get better results’
“When we had the discussion at the mid-point of last season, six new players in the ones is exactly what we were looking for rather than being same-old.”
Destructive number seven Jattinder Singh led his side back from the brink, with 96 off 94, including 28 off his last 12 as he batted to a different beat to the rest of his team.
The club, which first competed in the 2004-05 season, has been culturally competent, but comparative minnows in the league.
The clubrooms, upgraded two seasons ago have enhanced that by attracting past players down to watch.
There is a table tennis table and the races and Vic Premier Cricket are shown on the TVs indoors, with the two ovals at Marriott Waters Reserve on either side outdoors.
By Saturday night the rooms will be full as all the teams return to share anecdotes of the day’s play.
But even during the day, they are well occupied.
Life members are always about, creating footy club-like atmosphere and Loughnan’s time behind the canteen is an eight-hour shift to serve a seemingly bottomless line of customers.
While other clubs have come knocking, those gregarious ways at the Lakers has kept the talented Walias there, who have grown up alongside the club.
On-field, Lynbrook is aware of the perception that it collapses under pressure.
It knows that the loss of gun bowler Jesse Walia for the season amplified its external lowly expectations. Walia or bust, as they say.
Internally, though, the club is confident it is on the route to success.
The weekend’s result proved its depth: not many teams have the calibre of Singh coming in at seven, while six players claimed wickets in the win, each given at least nine overs with the ball.
It is financially stable.
There are multiple junior teams in each age-bracket as development takes on a new importance.
Former Alan Wookey Medallist Shane D’Rozario is again at the helm and has seen training standards rise.
Those new names, led by former Tasmanian premier cricketer Sithara Perera and including Singh, deepen the bowling attack and stabilise the middle-order.
And there is a strong connection between Lyndhurst Football Club and Lynbrook.
The undertone of expectation is lifting.
Close enough is no longer good enough. Depth is strong. Young players will no longer be gifted games on potential.
“The future is looking bright I believe,” Loughnan said.
“Most years we should be making finals but we let those games go that we should win.
“We want to be known as consistent.”
