STEVE McQueen wasn’t holding a Kookaburra bat at Chaffey Park last weekend, but Mildura West managed to pull off a great escape of their own.
With every game on a knife’s edge as the business end of the SCA season approaches rapidly, West found themselves in some trouble against fellow finals aspirants Merbein having fallen to 9/99 after a middle-order collapse.
Rather than ‘Hilts’ flying over the fence on his Triumph TR6 motorcycle, however, it was a last-ditch 119-run final wicket stand from English import Charlie Walker and 300-game veteran Shane Driscoll that stole the show and saved their bacon.
While more renowned for their work with the ball, Walker scored an important 65 from 73 balls while Driscoll remained not out on 50 from 95 to guide West to 218, a much more substantial total.
Captain Greg Lewis said he was glad to have the lower order batsmen firing at an ideal time.
“We actually got off to an alright start but then we had that collapse in the middle which put us under pressure,” he said.
“It’s an absolute privilege to have those guys down the order. The good thing about our team is everyone can contribute in different ways.”
West have been well served by Bridgnorth bowler Walker, who has taken 16 wickets for the campaign, only behind Driscoll’s 23 for the club, while adding a handy 233 runs at an average of just over 29.
Lewis praised his fellow Englishman for the fire he has brought to the First Division team this season.
“Charlie has been great, he’s a really competitive guy who works really hard both with bat and ball and to have that kind of influence after a few big days of bowling well for Sunraysia during Country Week was huge,” he said.
“I think he was a little frustrated he didn’t get as much of an opportunity to bat so we’re glad we was able to do so for us.”
Lewis believes the 219-run target for the Magpies is a strong one although he admitted they will have to bowl well, especially with opposition captain Mark East having made an unbeaten century last round. Merbein are 0/22 from their eight overs faced so far.
The boys from John Hall Oval are at the crest of the pack chasing finals, however, with Coomealla Wentworth and Merbein breathing down their necks, they couldn’t afford to slip in the penultimate round of the home and away season.
The final round match-up between West and the Blues could also be a quasi elimination final looking for a place in the top four.
“It is nice to to have our destiny in our own hands,” Lewis said.
“If we win both of these games we know we’re in and if we lose them and miss out then we’ve only got ourselves to blame.”
