YARRAVILLE Club capped off a near-perfect season by being crowned champions of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division on Sunday.
The Clubbers, who finished the home-and-away season as minor premiers, recorded a hard-fought grand final win against Airport West St Christophers.
They went into the fourth and final day needing 130 and were forced to do it the hard way after a sabotaged wicket meant the match was moved from Spotswood to Port Melbourne.
Clubbers captain-coach Justin Baker hit an impressive 62 while Colin Smart and Mark Williams combined to add another 32.
Emmett Bronca made 13 and Kayne Meehan scored six as the team slowly chipped away at Airport West's 187.
The six-run partnership between Steven Oosterhof and Matthew Murphy sealed the win as the Clubbers finished at 9-203.
Baker said his side had surpassed all expectations. He described his teammates as the best group of players he had seen at the club in seven
years.
"It was tight in both innings and the overall spirit of the game was fantastic," Baker said. "Airport West bowled and fielded extremely well and there really wasn't much between us."
Of his players, Baker said Matthew Murphy was perhaps the most influential player in the final as he took six wickets in the first innings and two in the second.
"I think he put on a match-winning performance as he made that bit of difference when we needed to get wickets.
"He also did well with the bat," Baker said.
"Andy Cullen was superb in the second innings and hit some magnificent shots. He got us going really.
"But everyone chipped in and it's been an awesome year for us."