By Jonty Ralphsmith
Last time Berwick Springs played Coomoora, it felt like boys against men.
The Titans suffered a comprehensive seven-wicket loss against a team full of former Sub-District cricketers whose experience made it a David vs Goliath battle.
With a big preseason and new playing-coach in for 2023-24, the weekend’s two-day fixture against last season’s grand finalists and perennial contenders brought a 35-run win.
It was a momentous victory for a club which two seasons ago was competing in Turf 4 and won just three games last season to finish second-last on the Turf 3 table.
The remnants of inexperience shone bright last season in the one-day game, yet a feature of this season’s first up result was their coolness as the game ebbed and flowed.
Playing-coach Shalika Karunanayake’s arrival at the Titans has provided direction, while experienced Springvale recruits Radomir Badzoka and Scott Lindsay also provide key experience for a young list.
“We’ve been preaching that we just have to play simple cricket,” skipper Braydon Hillman said.
“We don’t want to reinvent the game.
“Coming from one-day cricket where blokes are trying slower balls or wide line balls, we just wanted to bowl straight, make them play, the ball does a bit and the pitch is a bit up and down so we can ask questions.
“We knocked off Coomoora and we’re so far from our best: one bloke got a score.”
Opener Jackson Marie found the middle of the bat from ball one, hitting three early sixes to punish Coomoora’s wayward bowling.
It set the scene for a 50-run opening partnership, and Marie went on to score 76 off 98, with the playing-coach coming in at three and looking positive in scoring 26 off 30.
“They sent us in so personally I felt a bit disrespected,” Hillman said.
“I felt that they thought with the rain around (on Sunday) they would run through us (on Saturday) and get the runs then.”
While Berwick Springs pounced on the Roos early, there was little resistance thereafter as Archit Vora (33 off 90) was the only other batter to reach double figures.
It saw the hosts bowled out for 168 after just 54 overs which looked under-par on a reasonably true wicket.
Rahoul Pankhania smacked Sachintha Rajapakse’s first ball of the innings for six, but the Titans immediately rose to the pressure.
“Last year, we probably would have dropped our heads straight away but Sach(intha) kept nagging away and asking questions,” Hillman said.
“Sach is a bit of a wizard with that inswinger and the way he bowled last night set the tone.
“There was a period there I thought he was going to get a wicket every ball and I haven’t had that feeling in a while.
“Even young Seth, he only got three overs, but he was quick and got the first break through.”
The game was in the balance at stumps as steady wickets kept Berwick Springs in it, with the visitors 5/83.
Middle-order batter Dean Krelle looked positive at the crease and Coomoora had a deep batting lineup awaiting their opportunity.
The Titans struck early on Sunday, getting night-watcher Nick Lloyd and Krelle within an over of each other, the latter dismissal coming via an excellent catch to ‘keeper Riley Hillman.
It was symbolic of Berwick Springs’ alertness.
The hosts were again tested when Lalanka Dhanasekara and Dillon Gemmell-Smith each absorbed more than 50 balls in tandem, but they remained disciplined and were able to take their chances before a major dent was made on the scoreboard.
Seven of the eight bowlers used got wickets for Berwick Springs, a direct contrast from 2022-23 when, despite having some excellent contributors in the reserves, they were reliant on too few in the ones.
“There’s a different feel, everyone’s clued in and we all know what we’re doing and we’re all on board,” Hillman said.
“This is our first game so you can just imagine how round 14 will look.
“Having these experienced heads makes it easier for me with ideas and field placements and having confidence.
“It would have been nice to ease into the season but beating Coomoora, the team to beat, first up, gives us a bit of belief that we’re on to something special here.”
