By DAVID NAGEL
WGCA LOWER GRADES
PREVIEW – GRAND FINAL
B GRADE
PHYSICISTS have been trying to work it out for centuries.
What really does happen when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?
Well the answer will become a hell-of-a-lot clearer this weekend when Clyde and Kooweerup meet in the WGCA grand final at Lineham Oval.
Both teams are undefeated in 2016, the Demons on a seven-game winning streak while the Cougars last loss was against this week’s foe back in Round 7 – back in December!
That was the only time the two sides have met when a fine all-round performance from Cody Miller (59 and 4/17) led the Demons to a crushing victory. Steve Johnson and Ayden Mills also fired that fortnight, while a couple of key Cougars had games to forget.
James Abou-Jaber has had a fantastic season for Clyde, but will be keen to hit the scoreboard hard after failing to contribute in that contest.
But the Cougars are a lot stronger than that pre-Christmas clash.
Not playing that day were players the quality of Steve Russell, Josh Spittal, Adrian Buller and Nick Sadler, who have all made significant contributions in the back-half of the season.
Miller – who will play in the Premier Division final against Pakenham – will be a big loss for the Demons this week, but players like Mitch Davey and Brad Remy will add a new-look to the last time the two teams clashed.
This is a massive contest for two clubs that have had incredible seasons to date.
The Cougars have their top-four sides (District, B, D and F) participating this weekend while the Demons have all four teams (Premier, B, E and One-day) with tickets to the big dance.
Clyde and Kooweerup have a presence in seven of the 10 senior grand finals this weekend – but this is the only place where they meet head-to-head.
So who wins?
The Demons will be on a high after Remy (110 not out) produced a sporting miracle to get them across the line against Gembrook last week, while Sadler (7/12) produced something similar for the Cougars against Devon Meadows.
That’s unlikely to happen again; meaning consistency across the board will be the key.
The Demons earned promotion to B Grade via a C Grade flag back in 2013/14, and eight of those successful players have contributed to this campaign.
It’s that consistency, and knowledge of each other’s game under the ultimate pressure that will make that modicum of difference in the end.
Johnson will fire – win the man of the match – and lead the Demons to an emotional victory.
C GRADE
PAKENHAM Upper/Toomuc will look to break an almost decade-long drought when they make the trip to Upper Beaconsfield to take on the Maroons this weekend.
The Yabbies’ last senior premiership was back in 2006/07, when Luke Gunton and Craig Spicer fired their side to a D Grade victory over Merinda Park.
It’s been slim pickings since then however but, with their top-two sides competing, this could finally be the time when the balloons start flying at Yabbie-land.
And these boys – they’re in with a massive chance against the Maroons.
The experience is there at the top of the order, with Brett Carey, Matt Southall and John Miller, while Casey Thomsen and Jake Abel provide an X-Factor that could be extremely hard to stop.
Thomsen has a break-out year, scoring 300 senior runs for the first time in his career, while Abel is hitting form at precisely the right time of year.
His innings against Pakenham last week was chock-full of merit.
The Maroons are no slouches either, with Shawn Hassall, Ben Amos and Peter Brennan tough to remove at the top, while youngster Harry Sharlassian is spinning up a storm with the ball. Matt Curtain is dangerous with the willow, but it will be interesting to see if he recovers from an injury in time for this week’s clash.
The Yabbies broke a serious hoodoo against the Lions last week, winning their first final at their fourth attempt in five years, and how they back up will be the key to this week’s contest. On paper they appear to have the edge but grand final pressure can do funny things to people at times.
But the Yabbies will win -and we’ll tell you why!
They have pride, they have passion, and more importantly they have the best bowler in the competition in Ben McLeod who will use his pace and bounce to set this grand final alight.
Get the balloons out Yabbies – Benny wins the medal and your drought will come to an end.
D GRADE
CLEARLY the two best sides all season will shape up for the ultimate prize when Officer rolls out the red carpet for Clyde at Starling Road.
The ledger stands locked at one-all, Clyde too good for the Bullants in round three before Luke Stow replied with a six-wicket haul to lead Officer to victory in round 12.
And forget the D Grade tag – this will be a really high-quality contest.
Clyde has talent to burn, with Zac Davis in red-hot form and Stuart Williams, Jeremy Jakupi and Noel O’Brien having made significant contributions throughout the season.
Roshan Bandara and Nathan Powell were two lower-order heroes last weekend, and that depth is going to be a much needed commodity against the Bullants, who have some serious fire-power with the pill.
Stow has had a great second-half of the season while Daniel Irvine performs on the big stage for fun -he took 6/16 and made 62 last week if anyone needs any reminding!
It’s that upper echelon of talent that should get the Bullants home. Pete Symons and Tony Smith are a formidable combination at the top of the order, while Anthony Marsden and Simon Tivendale are capable of big games if the need arises.
It’s Irvine to take the medal and the Bullants to take the silverware.
E GRADE
OFFICER will look to win its second E Grade flag in the last three years when it hits the road to take on Kooweerup on Saturday.
And, despite finishing fourth, the Bullants have a perfect record against the Demons this season, knocking them off twice in rounds six and nine.
Both teams received reality checks at the hands of Nyora heading in to the finals’ series, the Demons reversing their round 14 loss to the Maroons in last week’s semi-final, while Officer rode a steady batting line up to victory over Gembrook.
Top-order stars like Rick Dunstone and Luke Johnson failed against the Brookers but John Armstrong, Darcy Taylor, Matt James and Garry Tivendale picked up the slack – and that’s what good teams are made of.
The experience of Armstrong and Tivendale could be vitally important if the Bullants stumble again on the weekend.
Kooweerup has had three main contributors this season, with Glen Burns, Tim Miller and Aaron Corrin leading the way but Andy Cammarano and Brannon Harrison joined the chorus and stepped up in last weekend’s semi-final win.
This one is really close to call, but Officer’s batting strength down low will guide it to this year’s flag.
F GRADE
MERINDA Park will have to cope with the pressure of being the shortest-priced favourite in all of the WGCA grand finals this weekend when it hosts Clyde at Donnelly Reserve.
Forget the fact that the Cobras rolled the Cougars for just 64 back in round 11, or that they lost just one game for the season, and focus in on the quality of player in this side.
Paul Humphrey is one of the stars of the F Grade competition but he will be down the list when it comes to the players the Cougars have to stop in the big one.
John Cuthbertson has been one of the top-three lower grades players all season, while the inclusion of former Premier Division star Glen Ward has put the icing on the cake for the Cobras.
Throw in the bowling of Scott Strang and you can see what the Cougars are up against here!
Ron Kane, Jack Hazendonk, Mark Coe and Cam Houlihan will put up an extreme fight, but it’s just hard to see how the Cougars can stick with the expected intensity of the Cobras for the full duration of the match.
Ward gets the medal and the Cobras get the cup.
G GRADE
THE opportunity to win their club’s only senior premiership for the season will stare Catani and Carlisle Park in the face when the two teams collide at Catani this weekend.
After changing their name from Lyndhurst to Carlisle Park it’s a chance for the Vikings to create history, while Catani will look to add some more silverware to its collection after taking out the D Grade title last year.
Both teams have had some real standouts this season, Cec Haysom and Hayden Lownds in dynamite form for the Cats, while the Vikings have been led superbly by Don Francis, Matt Ruprecht and Ben Phillips.
This one could come down to who has the better back-up plan, and the Vikings look to lead the way in this area. Ricardo Gonsalvez has been in ripping form of late while Sharath Nair will be looking for a repeat performance of his match-winning knock against the Cats in round three.
On that occasion he whacked 11 fours and six towering sixes on his way to a brilliant 102 not out.
But it will be Francis who will star this weekend, claiming the medal and leading his side to its first premiership under the Carlisle Park banner.
ONE-DAY
EMERALD and Kooweerup will battle it out for the title of one-day champions at Chandler Reserve.
Warrick Marsh has led the Bombers brilliantly all season, while Paul Reilly and Glenn Tucker are others to keep an eye on.
Kooweerup president Paul West will be keen to replicate the success of his Premier Division side in recent seasons – but it’s the Bombers to get the choccies.
GRAND FINAL FIXTURE
Saturday 12, Sunday 13 March 2016
LOWER GRADES (1.30pm start)
B GRADE
Clyde v Kooweerup Lineham Oval
C GRADE
Upper Beaconsfield v PUT Upper Beaconsfield Rec Reserve
D GRADE
Officer v Clyde Officer Rec Reserve#2
E GRADE
Kooweerup v Officer TBA
F GRADE
Merinda Park v Clyde Donnelly Reserve
G GRADE
Catani v Carlisle Park Blue Catani Rec Reserve
ONE-DAY COMP
Saturday 12 March (1.30pm start)
Emerald v Kooweerup Chandler Reserve
