By Hayley Wildes
WGCA SUB-DISTRICT DIVISION
PREVIEW – GRAND FINAL
After one of the tightest seasons in recent memory, the grand final clash between Kooweerup and Pakenham Upper/Toomuc promises to be a beauty.
The Yabbies were on top of the ladder for much of the season, but a Round 14 loss to the Demons in a much talked about clash saw them drop from first to fourth. The loss didn’t seem to dent their confidence much at all, however, as they took care of business against the Tigers on the weekend.
While the top two teams won’t be featuring in the big dance, Kooweerup and Pakenham Upper/Toomuc are worthy combatants and will put on a show.
KEY PLAYERS:
Kooweerup: Andrew Martin – 455 runs at 41.4, Ron Bright Jr – 29 wickets at 14.7.
Pakenham Upper/Toomuc: Sahan Wijeratne – 612 runs at 102, Nicholas Kyval – 26 wickets at 11.2.
LAST TIME THEY MET:
As mentioned earlier, these two teams clashed in Round 14 in a result that completely altered finals positioning. Kooweerup absolutely dominated the match-up, restricting Pakenham Upper/Toomuc to 160 runs, while piling on 4/280 in reply.
Paul Bright (104 not out) and Shaun Donnelly (50) were sublime in that clash and will be looking to continue that form this weekend. Nathan Voss (87) was a call-up to the Demons’ Premier side and is likely to retain his place for that grand final against Pakenham.
THE FINAL WORD:
It will be interesting to see if there are any mental scars for Pakenham Upper/Toomuc from the Round 14 loss and if there are, expect Kooweerup to take full advantage.
The Yabbies should take confidence from a season that saw them claim nine wins, while Sahan Wijeratne looms as the key figure in the game. If Wijeratne is able to anchor Pakenham Upper/Toomuc’s innings, as he has done so often this season, the Yabbies should be able to post a strong total.
