YARRAVILLE Club co-coaches Justin Baker and Emmett Bronca and their players have rewritten the record books en route to grabbing the ultimate glory in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association's senior division this summer.
The Clubbers are celebrating after winning the premiership without losing a game.
It's perhaps the sweetest of the three flags the side has celebrated in the past four seasons.
Players held their nerve at several key moments to stave off a determined Airport West-St Christophers in a hard-fought, see-sawing grand final at TEAC Oval in Port Melbourne at the weekend.
Champion No.3 batsman Michael 'Tocka' O'Keefe capped an incredible individual season by grafting a matchwinning 103 to spearhead his side to an imposing 253 after a shaky start in which it crashed to 4-45 during a fiery spell from one-time West Australian representative John Taylor.
The 41-year-old O'Keefe enjoyed a slice of luck in surviving a confident appeal for leg before wicket and being dropped in the gully early.
He struck just seven boundaries because of a painfully slow outfield during his marathon 331-minute stay.
O'Keefe added 102 for the fifth wicket with former Footscray-Edgewater teammate Colin Smart, who scored 42 at No.6.
What a summer of runs it's been for O'Keefe, who finishes with 918 runs at an average of 114.8 in a phenomenal performance.
First-year player Andrew Cullen compiled a valuable 53 at No.7 as Yarraville Club batted well into the second day.
The minor premiers only had to draw the game to be crowned premiers after play was washed out the previous weekend.
The innings lasted 110.5 overs, which left the opposition just 49 overs to reel in the runs.
But Airport West gave the unlikely run chase a big shake, especially with West Indian Darrell Brown blasting quick-fire runs at No.3.
He smashed a massive six into Ingles Street from the bowling of Smart as the score raced along.
But Brown's dismissal for 53 proved the beginning of the end as the Clubbers took a stranglehold on the game.
Paceman Emmett Bronca bowled unchanged to capture 5-74 from 22 overs as the West Saints were fired out for 190 in 43 overs.
Smart took 3-77 from 14 overs.
Yarraville Club president David Singleton couldn't contain his delight, lauding the "absolute team effort" by the players.
"Everybody in the team put their hand up and did something.
"I can't be happier for the guys. By God, we played together as a team."
He was quick to give O'Keefe a big pat on the back, saying the champ's 103 would've been worth 160 to 175 had it been played at home at Hansen Reserve.
"To see the best cricketer in the competition perform like he did when the pressure was at its greatest is the icing on the cake."
Singleton said O'Keefe had been fiercely determined to keep scorer Kate Ulman on her toes this summer after failing to fire last season.
"He apologised to me and we planned a few things [going into this season]. I told him to concentrate completely on his batting which he did. He's a true champion."
He praised the leadership displayed by Baker and Bronca.
Singleton jumped for joy after the lion-hearted Bronca claimed the last wicket.
"I was absolutely rapt Emmett got the last one to finish with five. He's had a super season."
Players and officials are expected to whoop it up on the end-of-season trip to the Gold Coast.
The club will hold its presentation night at the Medway Golf Club in Maidstone on April 25.
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