By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE West Gippsland Warriors have fallen short of making the final day of the Country Week carnival in each of the past five seasons and, quite simply, they’ve had enough.
This time around, with the best squad at the league’s disposal in years, they’re hell-bent on making it to Friday action.
The Warriors (5/265), skippered by Tooradin gun Cal O’Hare, got off to a fantastic start to the five-day tournament on day one – cruising past Wangaratta (208).
Day two, however, provided a drastic change in conditions – with a pitch that could best be described as a ‘damp minefield’.
Led brilliantly by the in-form opening combination of great mates Tom Hussey and Russell Lehman on Monday, the Warriors needed little more than 40 overs to pass Wangaratta’s score. Some Danny Diwell (47 not out) fireworks in the closing stages of the innings put some icing on the cake, but the day belonged to Lehman (100 not out) and Hussey (83).
“Batting second on that deck, it dried out and got a lot flatter but they’re two batsmen in form coming off a lot of runs for their clubs on the weekend and we were pretty confident – especially on a small ground,” Warriors veteran Clinton Marsh said of the conditions at Balwyn Park.
“They (Lehman and Hussey) know each other well, which is the best thing.
“They put on a really good partnership and they complement each other really well; Huss plays his shots and Russ builds into his innings.”
The pair put on a whopping 140 for the first wicket, before the Warriors lost four quick scalps in search of quick runs.
Hussey fell just shy of his second century in three days but he’d caused more than enough damage to the Wangaratta attack by the time he was dismissed.
“That’s the best start we’ve had in three or four years and it gave the group a lot of confidence for the rest of the day,” Marsh said.
“With the depth we have, we bat to 11 so you can take that risk. Danny (Diwell) got himself in and we finished off the game quite comfortably in the end.
“It was a really good all-around effort – the boys were great in the field and with the ball.”
Spinner Dylan Cuthbertson was brilliant in his senior Country Week debut, taking 4/48 from his 10 overs.
“For about three years we’ve either had injuries or big name players unavailable,” Marsh said.
“We want to be there on the Friday for a change.
“A lot of time and effort goes into organising this and a lot of people have to organise the time off work.
“We’ve been coming for a few years and accepting playing well, but there’s a really strong focus of not accepting a couple of wins this year.
“The guys want to be there on the Friday and win it.”
But from perfect batting conditions on Monday, the Warriors faced a batting nightmare the following day at Endeavour Hills against Central Gippsland.
Playing on a pitch that looked badly under-prepared and more suited for play this Saturday, the Warriors were sent in and faced a nightmare period at the crease. Deliveries pitched short and wide were taking chunks out of the green wicket and jagging back at the batsmen – making even bad balls unplayable.
Anything over 100 looked like a strong score, but at the time of going to print the Warriors had recovered from 5/61 to reach 161. Cuthbertson continued his stellar start to the carnival with 53.
For more on Hussey and Lehman’s dream form with the willow, turn to the WGCA Premier round review on pages 70 and 71.
