WERRIBEE'S batsmen, young and old, clicked to set-up a convincing 73-run one-day win over Brunswick in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association at AG Gillon Oval on Saturday.
Three Tigers varying in age - David Wolfe, the evergreen, Shaun Dean, representing the middle tier, and Kyle Andrews, just in his second-year - saluted for half-centuries in a huge total of 5-250 off 45 overs.
Tigers captain Travis Bean told the Weekly that the trio took full advantage of the batsman-friendly conditions on offer at Pearson Street.
"It was a difficult pitch to take wickets on so we had to score 200-plus runs," he said.
"It was definitely our best batting performance for the season.
"In a one-day game, when you make that kind of total you can take the game away from the opposition."
David Wolfe was the guiding light for the Tigers with 70 at the head of the order.
The former Footscray champion treated the Wicks bowlers with the utmost respect and produced a near chanceless second half century of the summer.
"He batted within himself," Bean said of the veteran originally from Longford Cricket Club in the Sale-Maffra league.
"He didn't play any rash shots and played each ball on its merits.
"In the end, he was a bit stiff because he played a nice sweep shot and got caught at square leg by a blinding catch."
Shaun Dean did what he knows best: score runs at a ripping rate.
Dean, a former Tiger cub who went on to play in Premier Cricket in recent seasons, made a free-flowing 77 and cost himself a potential century by doing the team thing and searching for quick runs late in his innings.
Still, he spent enough time in the middle to record his highest score since returning back to Watton Street.
"He's batting so well at the moment," Bean said. "He scored 300-odd runs in the regular season and about 150 in Twenty20. I think it means a lot for him to be playing for the club where he played his juniors and started in the seniors."
Andrews' late show of 56 was nothing to be sneezed at. The teenager is also in hot touch with the bat after sparking his season with a ton in the seconds before Christmas.
"He's only 18 and takes everything in his stride," Bean said.
"He doesn't get ruffled and he's so technically correct in the way he bats.
"He produced his innings exactly the way we needed it."
The first 20 overs of the Brunswick innings would dictate whether it would be a blow-out victory for the Tigers or a nail-biting finish.
The Wickers were too slow out of the blocks and crumbled to 4-55, mainly due to the suffocating tactics of Tigers paceman Matthew Thomson.
The all-rounder bowled his nine overs in a row for a stifling 1-17.
"The idea was for him to get through his overs for not many runs," Bean said. "He was able to contain and bowl a good line."
The Wickers, who saw their candle blown out by two late wickets to Jonathon Burton, could manage only 6-177 off their 45 overs.
This was an important victory for the Tigers as they sneak back into eighth spot and put their shock loss to Sunshine a week earlier behind them.
The Tigers host winless Preston in a two-dayer at Chirnside Park, starting Saturday.
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