By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
AT the beginning of this cricket season, the Under 13s Belgrave South Cricket team had only three members, but a merger with long-term rivals has brought about success.
The Belgrave South team and eight players from the Belgrave team put a rivalry as old as anyone can remember aside to create the South Belgrave-Belgrave Under 13s cricket team.
As they players progressed through the season, it was as if they had been a full team their whole history, ending up second on the ladder at the end of the regular playing season.
The smaller merged club came face to face with the much larger Eildon Park who landed on top place of the ladder.
At the end of the first day of the grand final match, the teams were neck and neck with Belgrave South-Belgrave at 2/62 and Eildon Park at 3/60.
The second day of play for the grand final saw Belgrave South-Belgrave batting first and losing a few players quickly, but the underdogs turning the game and ending on 8/118 at half time.
Coach Dave gave a stirring speech at half time to the players that instilled in them the drive to carry on against a larger club.
“Our little club merged and here we are representing the hills against a big club,” he said.
“We had more supporters than the other team, and our community spirit in Belgrave South-Belgrave is so strong, and the boys are representing everything our community stands for.”
The speech did the trick and the newly formed Belgrave South-Belgrave Under 13s cricket team took out the grand final with a 30-run victory over Eildon Park.
