Cricketers break finals hoodoo

Was it three years? No, I think it was four. It can’t have been five… can it? It was definitely six.
 
Exaggerations accumulated like day 3 runs on a superb Adelaide Oval wicket as Trinity College left the field having bowled out Newman College for 92.
 
The topic of conversation? How many consecutive years Trinity had made their way to the grand final without winning the big dance?
 
A few short minutes later Trinity was 5/17 and history was set to repeat itself. Another year, another loss… I suppose we’ll have a crack next year, boys. The prospect of losing cut even deeper given all our efforts through the season. Will Foster’s superb 92 from 51 balls, Lucien Bienvenu’s explosive batting and wily off-spin, Johnny McDonald and Sam Atkinson’s top-level catching were just a few highlights.
 
Then Nathan Hucker strode to the crease. In an unbroken partnership with vice-captain Alex Gall, Nathan built an innings which won us a premiership, simple as that. Trinity Tiger, you bloody beauty!  
 
In my eyes, this game reflected on our team in more ways than just a big silver cup (the cup was pretty sweet, too). What it really meant was that each game had seen a different group of players step up and win the match for the red-white-and-green. Along with the aforementioned performances we had also seen a team hattrick (initiated by 2 wickets to first year student Ollie McEnroe), the return of a South African superstar in Shawn Ingle, and the best glove work on the crescent from Tom Shatin. Ultimately, the MVP went to Lucien Bienvenu and the trophy to this year’s 1^st XI.
 
For me, however, this year’s success was down to every player in the group putting their best cricket forward at the right moments and, in a broader sense, the desire to win which had been developed through the efforts of years preceding us. To the previous captains and teams who came oh-so-close: this one’s for you, fellas. Enjoy.