It was vintage Jason McGann on Saturday as the skipper wound back the clock to help guide his side to another win in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Steve McNamara Shield.
Having got on a roll in recent weeks, the Roar are now third on the ladder and only quotient behind second.
Coach Leo Italiano said it was nice to have a comfortable win like that against Newport-Digman.
“Wow,” we were phenomenal yesterday [Saturday],” he said. “I’m very level headed but we were just awesome.
“They beat us early in the season before we found our identity as a team. Last time we made 80 runs and didn’t bat with intent.”
For Italiano, who has just returned from an overseas holiday, the side had continued to take massive steps forward while he was away.
He said McGann was leading the way.
“He turned 48 last week and the job he has done with the first I group is incredible,” he said.
“When I got appointed we went out for dinner and he said he wanted the captaincy for a year.
“There was a lot of change with seven players leaving from the first XI.
“He’s been able to bring them together. It’s all the little things he does off the park as well.”
On field on Saturday, it was the McGann show.
He took three early wickets to the have the Bulls in trouble.
The Bulls were bowled out for 147.
McGann would finish with 4-14 off his eight overs.
Italiano said it was a really displinced bowling performance with Jack McGann, Thomas King and Zac Corcoran all bowling well too.
Then Jason McGann promoted himself to open the batting.
“He wound back the clock,” Italiano said.
“In the one-day matches we’ve struggled to get away with the with the batting. He’s been batting at eight and had a couple of starts.
“He’s opened a couple of times. If he got away that was good for us, and if he didn’t we still had our entire batting order behind him.
“He batted well for a 50.”
The Roar got the runs with nearly 15 overs remaining, finishing 4-153.
Indika Massalage also batted well finishing with 48 not out. He is now averaging nearly 50 for the season.
While in a good spot, Italiano said they weren’t getting ahead of themselves.
“We are happy with three rounds to go,” he said.
“We’ve got West Coburg in a Saturday-Sunday game and it will let us know where we’re at.
“We’re not talking finals. Let’s rock up and take it innings by innings and keep working hard.”
