Tara Murray
Sunbury Kangaroos will see their first season in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association McIntyre Cup as a success.
One of three teams promoted in the off season to make it a 10 team competition ???, the Kangaroos had three wins on the board heading into the final round.
Kangaroos president Shane Woolley said they would have taken a three win season at the start of the season.
“It’s exciting given we have one side,” he said. “We were really close to pulling the pin at the start of the year.
“We were just struggling for numbers and it came together at the last minute. We’ve won three games with one game to go.
“On top of those three games, there were another three we lost by under 15 runs. It could have been better, but I’ll take three wins.”
The Kangaroos had nothing to lose moving into the top division, with the association deciding that the teams that went up would be in the top grade for three seasons.
The fixture was made to make it easier for them, with the lower teams playing more games against each other.
“One of our concerns was that one of the teams that came up would go straight down.
“We could come in and have a feel for the competition and not worry about going down.”
With just one team, the Kangaroos lacked depth and that consistency of having the same playing group each week.
Woolley said that made it hard at times with 19 players having played at least one game, with no one playing every game.
The Kangaroos are hoping that next season they can have at least two senior sides, if not three to provide more depth and be more competitive in the McIntyre Cup.
Woolley said that there were some exciting times ahead for the club, which has played this season with no club or social rooms.
He said the partnership within the Sunbury Kangaroos Sporting Club, which was a long term dream of his and the past football club president Allan Walters, continues to grow
“The club has done really well and has been really well supported,” he said.
“The new club rooms will be massive. We haven’t really been able to have the social side this year, we’ve been living out of our ‘bunker’.
“Hopefully we can get some consistency in the first side and build the club back up with some more senior sides.”
The Kangaroos were set to face finals bound Wallan in the final round of the season on Saturday, after deadline.
It was set to be an interesting final round of cricket, with the sixth and final finals spot on the line.
Diggers Rest Bulla, which was sitting sixth, was set to face Rupertswood, while Woodend, which was sitting seventh, was due to face Gisborne.
A top of the table clash between Sunbury United and Bacchus Marsh was also set to be a must watch, while Romsey was to host East Sunbury in the other match.
For results, head to www.starweekly.com.au.
