TWO Warrnambool and District Cricket Association clubs are bucking external expectations.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Nestles or Wesley Yambuk - the bottom two clubs from this past season - are both in with a shot of extending their unbeaten record to three on Saturday.
The clubs, which are Albert Park-based rivals, will lock horns at Walter Oval in a match which could propel the winner to the top of the ladder pending results elsewhere. North Warrnambool Eels and Merrivale are the other two clubs
"It has probably surprised a fair few people with us and Wesley getting a two and zero start after where we finished last season," Factory captain Jake Hetherington told The Standard.
"I think it'll be a good game. There's a lot of young players in both sides who've taken their chances early int the season. The Mungeans have also been a good addition for them."
We don't like each other very much but they knocked off Creek last week and are going along well.
- Walker Owen
Batting - once Nestles' Achilles heel - has so far been solid in the opening two rounds. It hasn't been the result of chance. Hetherington said plans implemented by coach Alex Strauch at training were paying dividends.
"At training we've really touched on having a purpose when you're batting," Hetherington said.
"We're trying to put pride on our wicket at training and bringing that with you to game day.
"Alex has really put the foot down on that and we've got guys in division two making runs as well which is helping."
Hetherington said the return of Lachie O'Neill, who was a junior at the club and has moved back to the south-west after time away, was a major boost.
O'Neill was dismissed for a duck against Allansford-Panmure in round one but carved out a crucial 34 in the middle order to get his side over the line against Russells Creek this past week.
"He hasn't been in the ones for four or five years. He's back down here now and a lot of us have played juniors with him so we're pretty tight-knit," Hetherington said.
"It's been good to see him making a few runs. He's a very handy batsman.
"He's been smashing a few out of the middle of the bat and he really helped us get that decent total on Saturday which set it up."
Wesley Yambuk batsman Walker Owen said the Beavers were proud of their hot start but weren't getting complacent.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"It's only the start of the season. We've still plenty of the season to go," he said.
"A few of the boys have said that is pretty important, not to get ahead of ourselves. We're two and zip but you could easily be back to scratch at two and two if we dropped a couple of games."
Owen, a builder at Owen Built Homes, said the Walter Oval-based club was looking forward to reigniting its rivalry with Nestles on Saturday.
"They've had a good start and there's obviously a big rivalry between our clubs," he said.
"We don't like each other very much but they knocked off Creek last week and are going along well.
"It'll be a good, tough game."
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.