WGCA Sub-District Division preview – semi-final
CARDINIA and Lang Lang have held steady at the top of the table this year, but it’s hard to discount the chances of Cranbourne Meadows and Tooradin heading into this second last weekend of Sub-District.
CARDINIA v TOORADIN
Seagulls’ main man with the ball has been Ricky Holland, reaping 44 wickets at 10.1 and will likely prove the difference in this match as he aims to rattle Adam Hobson (284 at 25.8) and Alex Nooy (240 at 34.3). The late season form of Matt Celima (166 at 33.2 and 11 wickets) has been important as well, since returning to the side in December. Chris Remy (24 wickets at 9.8) and Ryan Little (23 at 14.6) have led the Bulls’ charge with the ball and will need to strike early to stop Tooradin trio Justin Hinkley, Jarred Thompson and Kane Latham, who have been steady at the top of the order for the Seagulls, without completely intimidating the opposition. Cardinia’s strength in the bowling will see them through this semi-final – that’s probably the majority of the reason for their success this year.
LANG LANG v CRANBOURNE MEADOWS
The ultimate sticking point will be knocking off the Murdochs. The gun battle Swamp Tigers’ bowling dynamos Bodie Brown and Clint Fulton versus the Rebels ultra-batting pair Lee and Brent Murdoch will be match defining. So much so that whoever gets on top in that encounter will take the match. The Murdochs have a superhuman 1295 runs between them this season, while the Brown/Fulton combination has reaped 63 wickets at 14.75. This is the match-up to define one of the grand finalists – no questions about it. On the opposing side, Lang Lang’s batting is strong with Chris McCurdy (388 runs at 43.1) and Ricky Caddell (210 at 21) leading at the top with good support from Glen Easton (215) lower down and Cranbourne Meadows generates most of their wickets through Lee Murdoch (26 at 11.1) and Shannon Marum (24 wickets at 10). That said, Rebels’ batting versus Swamp Tigers’ bowling. The Murdochs will win that battle and advance the Meadows to the grand final.
