Dennington wins second consecutive division one game in Warrnambool and District Cricket Association

The division one Dogs broke through for their second win in as many weeks against Merrivale on Saturday. And while a 44-run Warrnambool and District Cricket Association season-opening loss to Mortlake was a tough blow, a two-wicket loss to defending premiers Russells Creek and a seven-wicket win over the then-undefeated Nestles undoubtedly has bolstered belief in the playing group.

"I think it just gives them huge confidence that they know we stick to our plan and we get a result from it, it makes it a lot easier," division one coach Mick Rantall said after the Dogs' win on Saturday.

The non-playing coach, who returned to Dennington this season, said work at training, along with an attitude of "valuing what you're doing", was starting to pay off on the field.

"We have a couple of plans and they've been executing it," he said. "Trying to bowl tight and trying to bat in partnerships. It seems to be going alright at the moment."

The Dogs had a strong day in the field to dismiss the Tigers for 111, led by the efforts of Terry and Xavier Beks who combined for seven wickets.

"We probably got the best of it with a bit in the track early, it was probably nipping around a bit early," Rantall said. "They (bowlers) still put it into the right areas, (you) try not to over-analyse it, just do it right and they got the result.

"When you're bowling well, it's pretty easy to field well and then we got the runs."

Acting skipper Liam Couch, who has stepped up in the absence of the injured Shannon Beks, has helped the Dogs produce winning scores, making 33 as an opener after last round's half century.

"Liam's jumped into the role very well," Rantall said. "I sort of pressed him at the start (of the season) to really put the value on your wicket and his last couple of knocks, it's coming all together."

Spurned by the same challenges other clubs also face by early-round washouts, Dennington is starting to see the fruits of its labours under Rantall.

"Even before we got the first game in we were just restricted with so much indoor stuff you can do," he said. "It's nothing to getting outside and in the middle.

"It's about doing everything as a team and doing it right, don't over-analyse stuff, use our training and skills to put value on your wicket and when you're bowling just don't leak runs. The guys have adapted to that pretty well.

"It's flowing through, the twos, I don't think have lost a game yet and the under 17s, they train with us every Thursday night and there is some good kids in there and they're having results as well."

Despite their recent success Rantall is sticking to a mantra of taking it "week-by-week", starting with North Warrnambool Eels on Saturday. "Sometimes things don't go to plan and that's where you've got to stick at it and we'll keep assessing as a week-by-week process," he said.

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