Port Fairy captain-coach Alastair Templeton says he is unsure just how vital Saturday's win becomes in the long-run but has praised his group for its ability to stay ahead of the game.
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The Pirates surged to victory despite the inclement weather which took hold across the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association division one competition, defeating North Warrnambool Eels via the Duckworth-Lewis method.
The division one clash at Avery's Paddock was reduced to 27 overs for the second innings with the Pirates racing down the reduced target of 113 runs with four overs to spare.
"As the year goes on you're not really sure (how much impact the result has) but at times of the year you can be on the right end of these games and sometimes not be," Templeton said.
"It's handy to get the win. We were in a position where we backed ourselves to win the game which is great.
"The wicket over here had some showers on it and even though it looked like we chased it easily, it played plenty of tricks and wasn't easy.
"It was certainly a pretty good batting wicket in the first innings and it certainly changed in the second innings. The ball was zipping around a lot."
And a match-winning knock by import James Vandepeer, who is enjoying a standout debut season of division one cricket in Warrnambool, ensured the Pirates would climb to the top-of-the-table.
Templeton said in tough conditions, the Englishman once again provided class and an understanding of the situation, notching up a brisk and unbeaten 64.
Vandepeer has now scored 229 runs at 38.17 this season alongside 17 wickets to be one of division one's leading players.
"He's got 64 from about 115 so it's a really good innings from him, I don't think anyone else got over 15 which becomes so important," he said.
"It was a match-winning innings from him which was great to see."
The first-year Pirates mentor said credit needed to also go to the bowling group for restricting the Eels in the first innings in more favourable batting conditions.
"I thought we bowled really well," he said.
"It was a pretty batter friendly wicket and I felt like we really put the clamps on early, I think they were 17 off the first 10 overs and the next 12 overs they got 60 odd and that was certainly the wicket.
"I felt like spinners Sammy Allen in his first game of the season and Alex Jennings played an important role because at one point it looked like a 200-plus score which would have been really difficult later on in Duckworth-Lewis so to get them back to 148 was a good result."
Nick Creely
Sports reporter with The Standard
Sports reporter with The Standard
