| starcommunity.com.au
Page 54 Tuesday, 11 February, 2014
Sport
�� Star… Connecting people with the local sport they love.
Giants toppled By ADEM SARICAOGLU
A “FREAKISH” play by Williamstown pitcher Josh Lee proved to be the difference between the Wolves and the Werribee Giants in Division Two Summer League baseball on Sunday. The visiting Wolves were up 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning at Presidents Park, but the Giants had the game-tying run at third base with pinch-runner Andrew Christou. On a squeeze bunt play with one out, Christou bolted for home and in any normal circumstances would have tied the game on the play. However, after diving for the ball and quickly scooping it to catcher Jason McDonald, Lee managed to pull off a miraculous defensive play just as Christou collided into McDonald. The Wolves then secured victory with a quick strikeout - handing the Giants their seventh loss for the season. “It was a freakish play, really,” Werribee coach Phil Balzer said shortly afterward. “The run should’ve scored, which would’ve tied the game and forced it into extra innings or given us the chance to score the winning run in that inning. “So things didn’t go our way but when you strike out 14 times, you’re not really giving yourself much of a chance.” In what proved a tight tussle from start to finish, the fourth-placed Giants were able to match it with the ladder-leading Wolves. However, it was those 14 strike-
Werribee’s Simon Riches heads for first base against Williamstown on Sunday. 114350 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT outs that ultimately cost Werribee its 11th victory, according to Balzer. “That’s just way too many (strikeouts) and that didn’t give us enough opportunities to put the ball in play and put some pressure on Williamstown to make those plays,” Balzer said.
“We struck out five of their guys, so if we allow only five strikeouts ourselves then that’s nine more balls we put in play, and you expect some of those to be hits. “That’d give us more scoring opportunities, so that was the big difference in the game.”
With just two more regular season games to come before the finals series kicks off in March, Werribee remains an outside chance of finishing second on the table. This Sunday the Giants will travel to take on St Kilda before hosting Springvale in a game that could ultimately decide second spot.
Five clubs are set for top comp By ADEM SARICAOGLU FIVE clubs from Melbourne’s West have been offered licences to join the new National Premier Leagues Victoria competition. Former Victorian Premier League giants Melbourne Knights and Green Gully will join State League One clubs St Albans, Sunshine George Cross and Werribee City - who have all been invited to join the new league set to be rolled out for the upcoming season. Altona Magic and Western Suburbs are the two notable former SL1 clubs that have not been offered an NPL licence. Last week Football Federation Victoria announced the 30 clubs and entities that will most likely form the Victorian NPL competition. Each club is now required to confirm their participation by Wednesday next week. The FFV has not yet released details on the structure of the league, but an announcement is expected to be made in coming days. The final fixture has been slated for a 26 February release. FFV president Nick Monteleone
Connecting people and communities WERR
Sports
shorts
Dean shines for Doggies FOOTSCRAY returned to its winnings ways with a smashing of Dandenong in the Victorian Premier Cricket on the weekend. Bulldogs’ captain Dean Russ ensured he remained popular with his team-mates after he won the toss and had no hesitation batting first in the 40 degree heat on day one. Footscray went on to dominate the Dandenong bowlers for the next 90 overs as the runs came thick and fast. Travis Dean was outstanding after coming in at first drop, making 119 from 209 balls. The knock is also his first century of the season and included 15 boundaries. Dean was well supported by gun Victorian all-rounder John Hastings who again proved how dangerous he can be at Premier Cricket level. Coming in at number four, Hastings made 87 off just 128 balls in an innings which included seven fours and three sixes. A well-made 44 from Anthony Barton and 26 from Shanuka Dissanayake lifted the total to 7/328 after the completion of 90 overs. In reply, Footscray had no trouble ripping through the Dandenong batting lineup. Led by opening pair Jake Haberfield and Hamish Winter-Irving, the Bulldogs bowled the batting side out for 126 in the 50th over on Sunday. A BRILLIANT 106 not out from Tim O’Brien moved Werribee into a strong position after day one of its clash against Western Suburbs rival Williamstown. Following two early wickets, O’Brien came to the crease with the Tigers at 2/38. From there the gun middle order batsman took control of the match and sent the Seagulls’ bowlers to all parts of Chirnside Park. O’Brien was well supported by Michael Freeman who also chipped in with 40 while David Wolfe made 31. When day two resumes Williamstown will need to make 239 to claim the win. After a slow start to the 2013/14 season, the Seagulls have rebounded well through the middle part of the season and are hunting their third successive win in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association. DEFENDING champions City West Falcons will kick off their Victorian Netball League title defence this week. The Falcons enter the 2014 season with another strong line-up despite the retirement of last year’s co-captain Christie Barnes. She will be replaced in the leadership role by Kathleen Knott who is returning from a knee injury which hampered her 2013 season. Knott, who will share the captaincy duties with Casey Price, will slot into the goals and play alongside her sister Julia. There won’t be any time to settle into the new season for City West which will take on last year’s third placed team VU Western Lightning in round one.
Werribee City has been invited to join the NPLV for the 2014 season. 106166 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT acknowledged the clubs’ efforts in applying for a spot in the new league after what has been a troubled six months for the federation and the local game. “FFV recognises the tremendous level of effort and resources
required to produce an NPL submission,” Monteleone said. “All applicants should be congratulated for their dedication in submitting an application. I would like to also thank the assessment panel for its hard work reviewing all
37 applications. “The NPL will have a positive impact on players, coaches and club development across all of Victoria.” Liam Bentley has been appointed Head of NPL Victoria.
ALTONA resident and Australian Twenty20 spinner James Muirhead has re-signed with the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers for the next four seasons. Having made his first-class debut as a rookie with the Bushrangers last summer, Muirhead was upgraded to a full contract this season and has since made his mark in the international arena during the recent Twenty20 series against England. The 20-year-old, who claimed careerbest figures of 6-181 for a Cricket Australia Invitational XI against England at the SCG in November, said he was happy to put pen to paper with Victoria. “I feel like Victoria is the best environment for me to develop my cricket,” Muirhead said.
Contact Star Sport with sport stories and results on phone 9933 4800, fax 9933 4844 or email: starsport@starnewsgroup.com.au