But Eastern Hill Cricket Club no doubt has aspirations to go one better in 2025-26, and with a commanding round one performance at the weekend, signalled that the intent is there.
Playing against the newly promoted Lancefield on Saturday in the opening one-day clash of the season, the Eagles romped to a dominant 77-run victory at Lancefield Park, with equal contributions from both the batsmen and bowlers aiding the win.
Having lost the toss and been sent in to bat, openers Matthew Collard and Billy Cox navigated the opening overs with aplomb, seeing off the new ball while also keeping the scoreboard ticking over, passing the 50-run milestone and taking the Eagles to 83 without loss.
It was then that Lancefield made a breakthrough. Cox was the first to depart, trapped LBW for a well-made 35, with Collard following shortly after, out for a team high 47 and leaving Eastern Hill at 2-88 after a strong start.
News batters Benjamin Bryant and Oscar Newell did well to steady, absorbing the pressure and finding some runs, adding 49 before Bryant (29) fell, and his replacement Michael Brown was sent packing four balls later for a duck, as the visitors were reduced to 4-127.
Lancefield was able to take wickets at fairly regular intervals for the remainder of the innings; however, Newell anchored the Eagles throughout the final overs, reaching 38 before being dismissed with two balls remaining in the innings, as Eastern Hill posted a total of 7-189 from its 45 overs.
With 190 runs to defend, there was plenty for the Eagles bowlers to work with; however, they needed little time to find a breakthrough, as Fraser Lewis (1-22) removed Tigers opener Jack Crosland in the third over to leave Lancefield one wicket down for just 12 runs.
It would take another 20 overs before the Eagles found a second wicket, with the home side adding 57 runs in that period; however, the floodgates opened when they did.
Newell (2-27) got the ball rolling, removing the next two Lancefield batters to have the home side sitting at 3-82, before Tim Rudd-Schmidt (3-4) and Daniel O’Sullivan (2-21) joined the party, claiming the fourth and fifth wicket of the innings, respectively, with the Tigers stuck on 99.
The Lancefield tail offered little resistance, with the final four wickets falling for just 13 runs, with opener Lachlan Mitchell retiring not out on 31, leaving the home side at 9-112 as Eastern Hill claimed a dominant first-up victory.
The Eagles will look to repeat the feat this week in their first home game of the season at Kings Park, when they host Harkness, another side new to the division, on Saturday.
14°C