It was the McGann show as Sunbury pulled a rabbit out of the hat to beat Williamstown CYMS in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Steve McNamara Shield on Saturday.
The Roar was on the back foot after day one with a poor start with the bat meaning everything had to go right on day two to get the win.
The CYs resumed at 4-89 in reply to 161.
The two McGanns’, Jason and Jack, were able to combine to take the final six wickets and nine wickets between them, to bowl the CYs out for 159 in a nerve-wracking end.
“It was awesome,” said Roar coach Leo Italiano. “I’m so happy for the boys.
“We started pre-season back in July which was insanely early. It’s only one win, it was how we won it.”
Italiano said vice-captain Jack Narraway gave them a chance on day one as he made 55 not out having struggled with the bat since arriving in Australia.
On Saturday, it was the veteran and his son that got the job done.
“It was unbelievable by Jack McGann,” Italiano said. “He’s 20 and he never believed that he was a first XI cricketer.
“He took 4-21 off 18 overs and that was what we knew that he could do.
“Hopefully the switch has flicked now.
“He and his old man took nine wickets, with the old boy taking five wickets and showing he still has gas in the tank.
“He’s still passionate about the game and loves the club.”
Jason finished with 5-46, while Narraway took six catches behind the stumps.
Italiano admits they were all hoping that Jack would be the one to claim the five wickets, which would have been his first five wicket haul in the first XI.
For the coach, it was nervous watching as the CYs approached the total with only one wicket in hand.
“The twos were playing their first game and I chose to help the twos get set up,” he said.
“I was watching on Frogbox and was scoring. When we took that last wicket I let out a Roar and everyone looked at me.
“They then realised that we had won.”
Italiano said the result would give the playing group plenty of confidence heading into the rest of the season.
He said they should have won in previous round, if not for a batting collapse proving costly as it went from 0-58 to all out for 118.
On Saturday, Sunbury’s second XI was washed out against the CYs at Clarke Oval. Sunbury was 4-160 when the rain fell and the players never got back on.
Kamran Khan made 49 for the Roar.
The Roar now faces Newport-Digman this Saturday in a one-dayer.
The Bulls are coming off a tie against Tullamarine, having had a loss in round one.
