A lot of cricketers are happy if they make 200 runs in an entire season, but Portarlington’s Aaron Toole achieved the feat in just a few hours on Saturday.
With his side chasing a mammoth 349 for victory against Barrabool in B Grade, Toole strode to the crease at No 3 and Port was soon 4/23 and seemingly out of the contest at Ceres Recreation Reserve.
But a few hours later, the 25-year-old smacked his 27th boundary (along with four sixes) to take his score to 203 from only 137 deliveries.
With Solomon Harvey, who made 79 from 69 balls, the pair put on 181 for the fifth wicket and the Demons won the game in extraordinary circumstances.
It was Toole’s maiden senior century.
“I’ve only batted one other time this year and I made a golden duck,” he said.
“I made one (century) in the juniors back at Heatherdale, but that was my first ever senior one. So to make it a double it was pretty special.
“It was a very hard innings. It was really hot out there towards the end. I was cramping. I’ve never been at the crease that long.”
Toole’s cousin Brenton has made several big hundreds for Portarlington’s A Grade side and it would seem logical that Aaron will be joining him next weekend.
“Someone else asked me that and my comment was I think I’d be a bit stiff if I don’t get picked (in A Grade) next week,” he said.
“It was one of the best and most enjoyable, memorable days of cricket that I’ve ever been a part of.”
Having only moved to the Bellarine about 18 months ago after growing up in Ringwood, Toole said he only started playing at Port to meet new people.
“I just sort of started playing just to make some mates and my cousin plays down there so he goes ‘yeah, come on down’ and I bloody love it. The boys are grouse,” he said.
