Country week cricket: ‘Immensely proud’ Bunbury skipper on what it took to pull off premiership triumph

Bunbury captain Blair Malatesta says he is “immensely proud” of his side’s drought-breaking country week domination and has revealed the depth of planning behind its historic dual premierships. Malatesta became the first Bunbury captain to lead the association to a win at the tournament since Ben Lagana in 2010 — a side that included future first-class stalwart Sam Whiteman and only three current first-grade players. And the final wicket against Peel at the WACA on Friday was taken just hours after Blaze Rosinski’s B-section side sealed the first half of what will go down as one of the greatest ever days in Bunbury cricket. But it was months before the opening day of the tournament that Malatesta and a select group of senior players formed a war cabinet-style committee which would go on to mastermind the remarkable success. They started by engaging the help of long-time umpire and respected cricket mind Anthony Stubberfield. “When Stubbers came on board we got a bit of a core group together and we just started the conversations real early, putting names forward and then Blaze came along and it all started getting rolling,” Malatesta said. “He just brought an outside view having only really seen our cricketers from outside as an umpire. “When we started having a look at some of the names that were available, I was super bullish.” The star Collie all-rounder, who saved his finest contribution for the biggest stage in the final, told the South Western Times before the tournament he wanted Bunbury to re-establish itself as country cricket’s powerhouse. And they did. “I think everyone that was involved would see now that as an association we needed a day like that where everyone goes ‘how good is this?’ and I think it will help going forward,” he said. “It was just about trying to get back some core values. “People are going ‘absolutely, let’s play for the BDCA’, rather than just wanting to play at their home clubs. “To win it is just a bloody good feeling.” So often Bunbury’s Achilles heel at Statewide tournaments in the past, the moves of Julian Crudeli to Eaton and Bevan Bennell to Colts meant Stubberfield had access to two of WA’s top country talents. Crudeli’s 116 off 132 balls in the final, with Malatesta as his accomplice, was the defining innings of the tournament — powering his side to a monster 8-327 from 60 overs. “Arguably we have got two of the best country cricketers in Bev and Jules,” Malatesta said. “We were under pressure, we lost a few clumps of wickets and when I went out Jules was just ticking along up the other end and he made it pretty easy for me. “His hundred was outstanding, and it shows how good of a cricketer he is. A brutal opening spell ripped through Peel’s top order and put the game almost completely in Bunbury’s hands — and it was delivered by the same man who had just done the job with the bat. “I was spent after my innings so when he came in at the changeover I said, ‘Mate, you can rest for as long as you want’, but he straight away said ‘I want the new ball’,” Malatesta said. Three wickets, all in his opening barrage, was enough to seal Crudeli the John Rutherford trophy for player of the final and Bunbury its ultimate triumph. The B-section premiership, built off the incredible foundation laid by workhorse seamer Zane Verhaaf and enigmatic leg-spinner Shehzad Gondal, mean the association will have two sides in the top tier at next year’s country week. Bunbury’s next assignment is the end of its Country Cup campaign, which still hangs in the balance. The Blue Swans face Albany, who were the only side to beat them at country week, in Harvey on February 13.