Shark glory: Johnson Park president Craig Wilkinson holds the FTGDCA Norm Reeves Shield trophy aloft as his players sing the club song on Sunday. Picture: Wayne Hawkins
SIX weeks ago Johnson Park was staring down the prospect of missing the FTGDCA Norm Reeves Shield finals.
On Sunday, Sharks captain Andrew Devenish held the new trophy after his side stunned Upper Ferntree Gully to win the grand final and claim its second premiership in four seasons.
Devenish was joined in the side by his brothers David and Steve along with their mother Karen, who is team scorer.
Devenish said the players made a pact six weeks ago to abolish mistakes and inconsistencies from their game over the final weeks of the season.
That pact proved the bindings of their premiership bid, with the Sharks storming through the finals and claiming a memorable premiership despite rain and a lush Kings Park outfield.
■ For a special picture gallery from the FTGDCA grand final, CLICK HERE
In what proved to be the final day of the grand final on Sunday, Steve Devenish hit two consecutive fours in the final two balls of the day to take the side to victory on 4-88 chasing the Uppers' 87 all out.
Devenish said he couldn't believe his side was now premiers after an inconsistent first half of the season.
"I couldn't be more proud," Devenish said. "Six weeks ago we were on the brink of not making the finals so standing here after winning the flag is unbelievable.
"Basically, we couldn't put a good game of cricket together, we would bat well and bowl poorly or vice versa.
"We made a pact to get all the areas of our game right and look where we are now."
When Sharks star batsman Bryn Gaunt and Andrew Devenish were dismissed early in the chase, the alarm bells rang among supporters.
"Bryn has been our gun bat all year, he has made a lot of runs but he went out early and it was up to our young blokes to step up and get us the runs and they did it," Devenish said.
"David Devenish batted from the first ball and was 25 not out, Junaid Carri is only 22 and he made a quick 20, Cam Bourke got 20, so it was good to see them step up in a big final."