By Tara Murray
Sunbury will play in a Victorian Turf Cricket Association T20 semi final this week, but it nearly wasn’t the case.
When the final results of the quarter final round robin stage were put online early last week, Sunbury was sitting bottom of their three-team group.
All three teams in the group were on two points after a win each in the quarter final stage.
Observant Sunbury captain-coach Craig Ballinger realised late last week that something was wrong and the club did its own research.
Once they confirmed their thoughts the ladder was wrong, they made the VTCA aware of the issue on Friday.
The VTCA quickly realised there was a glitch in the system and had to adjust the ladders.
After it was adjusted, it meant Sunbury had actually finished top, while West Coburg, who thought it had made finals, finished bottom.
West Coburg, which had been preparing to play in the semi final, had to be told they hadn’t actually made it.
Ballinger said looking at the ladder, things didn’t look right.
Sunbury had a bye in the final round and had been waiting on results to know whether they had progressed through.
“All the ladders were calculated wrong,” he said.
“I contacted [secretary] Marty Kelders, as we had scored the most amount of runs and conceded the least amount of wickets, but were sitting bottom.
“It was a mistake on MyCricket [website]. All the percentages were wrong, we went from last to first.”
The Roar will face senior division side Sunshine United for a spot in the final.
The Roar’s T20 semi final is due to be played on Sunday at Selwyn Park, with the game starting at 2pm. T
he club is keen to get as many Sunbury people to the game as possible.
Despite being in different divisions the two clubs are familiar with each other.
The two clubs have played a regular game, the James Wilson T20 Memorial game, in honour of Wilson who played for both clubs.
Ballinger said they would continue to go through the tournament, with the view they have nothing to lose.
They have already knocked off one senior division side, Yarraville Club.
Both sides were missing players in that game, with Sunbury hoping to have a full squad to choose from this week.
“We spoke earlier in the year and there is the belief and there’s nothing to lose,” he said.
“We’re one win from a grand final. A grand final in our first year in the VTCA would be really good.”
Keilor is through to the other semi final. Their opponent has not been finalised.
