YAMBUK used the 20th anniversary of its A grade premiership win against Purnim to inflict more grand final pain on the Bulls.
In 1989-90, Yambuk claimed a memorable victory over Purnim which kick-started a golden run for the club, which included six premierships from 10 grand final appearances.
But the golden era for Yambuk waned and two seasons ago it struggled to field a single B grade side. Last season it was last in A grade until a final-round win elevated it off the bottom.
Yesterday at Purnim, a meteoric rise back to the top was completed when veteran Andrew Kelly guided his side past the modest 105 total of a gallant home side for the loss of eight wickets.
Yambuk, beaten three times by Purnim during the season - including in the one-day final - had seized the initiative on Saturday when it took 5-3 to have Purnim on the back foot. When stumps were drawn early yesterday Yambuk was 9-124 with Kelly and his teenage son Sam unbeaten at the crease.
For Yambuk captain Steve Gleeson it was his seventh premiership from 11 grand final appearances since his first in 1989-90.
"It's as good as it gets," Gleeson said. "Never happier."
Gleeson said that at the club's 20-year premiership reunion earlier this season, president James Sinnott pointed out that the club had won in 1989-90 and again in 1999-2000. With that symmetry, Sinnott suggested 2009-10 was again Yambuk's year.
"I wasn't so sure," Gleeson said.
"At the start of the year I never thought this would have happened. We only had one team in B grade the year before and lost that grand final and we were on the bottom last year until the last round. It is a bit of a fairytale."
The 37-year-old said the win had special significance for opening batsman Sean Peterson, who at more than 40 played in his first premiership after more than 25 years of cricket.
Gleeson said the town's general store keeper had taken on the business about five years ago and joined the club after stints with Port Fairy and Killarney.
He said his side, having lost the toss on Saturday, employed different tactics in the field in a bid to score its first win of the season against the Bulls .
Gleeson said he opted to have four players in the deep from the first over for dangerous Purnim opener Aaron Peterson, who made only six. At 3-16, Purnim was in trouble until captain-coach Shaun Griffin (32) and Brandt Walther (34) combined for a 54-run fourth-wicket partnership, the biggest of the match. But once Griffin was dismissed by medium-pacer Shannon Emmerton with the score on 70, the side never recovered.
At 5-102, a revival was on the cards but Emmerton tore the heart out of the Bulls' line-up, taking 5-16 from 16 overs as Purnim lost 5-3 to be all out for 105. Gleeson, who had missed the semi-final with a hamstring injury, left Geoff Blackmore to keep wickets for the first hour before taking the gloves and standing up to the stumps for the rest of the innings.
That tactic also worked, adding pressure on Purnim's batsmen who at one stage before tea gave three chances in four balls, only for the Yambuk fielders to grass each one.
In Yambuk's innings, Gleeson went for a duck and Peterson just before the close of play to go to stumps at 2-36.
Young Purnim paceman Jacob McKinnon (3-50) struck in the first over yesterday, claiming the scalp of the dangerous Blackmore (13) with just three runs added to the score.
"Every time we looked like getting on top, Purnim kept getting wickets, they just wouldn't give up," Gleeson said.
Despite grabbing regular wickets through paceman Dallas Armitstead, who claimed 5-26 off 14 overs, the visitors were able to keep them at bay.
Number four Rodney Roberts lived up to his nickname - the Rock = in holding the innings together with 34 while an aggressive cameo from Brian Wilson (17) and handy contributions from Kelly (10 not out) and Kurt Buchanan (10) ensured victory.
Purnim's skipper Griffin said his side simply didn't make enough runs.
"They bowled pretty well, didn't give us too much to hit. It was tough going," he said.
"The outfield was slow and every run was vital but we just didn't have enough runs. We needed 150 to 180 just to be competitive so to only make 104 was never going to be enough. That's cricket."
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