By Russell Bennett
WGCA PREMIER DIVISION
REVIEW – ROUND 14
It’s not like anyone needed reminding of champion Kooweerup keeper-batsman Chris ‘Wombat’ Bright’s ability with the willow.
He’s long loomed as one of the biggest keys for his side – particularly in the wake of the departures of former stars Mark Cooper and Tyler Clark – but his innings on Saturday delivered a warning shot to the Premier grade’s other three finals-bound sides – remove him early, or he’ll take the game away from you in the blink of an eye.
The Rebels simply had no answer for him on their home Lawson Poole deck as he plundered 125 on the way to the Demons amassing 5/270 from their 40 overs.
But almost more significantly for Kooweerup, which now enters this season’s finals series in an uncustomary position outside of the top two, was the performance with the willow of young gun all-rounder Luke McMaster (67).
He combined with Bright in a 135-run opening stand that proved just what the Demons are capable of when they can launch from a significant platform.
The Rebels were powerless to stop them, with Demons player-coach and long-time opener Chris ‘Tubsy’ O’Hara elevated back up to the number three position to add 32 of his own on the eve of the season’s business end.
In its reply, Cranbourne Meadows was restricted to just 147 in the 32nd over, with a string of Demons claiming multiple scalps apiece.
Winning form is good form, and winning form in style – well that could be just the tonic for an up-and-down Demons to fire right when they need to most.
Pakenham’s season, meanwhile, was typified with its loss to Tooradin at the Gulls’ nest.
The Lions – one of the competition’s two biggest powerhouse sides, long with the Demons – will be outside of the finals looking in, and in large part due to a lack of proven depth.
They’ve got starpower and veteran experience, but they’ve also got a string of young players who need to keep developing before they can consistently fire.
It’s no secret that star Pakenham all-rounder Chris Smith hasn’t had the sort of 2020/21 campaign he would have liked – in the same manner as the rest of his high-profile team mates – but on Saturday he was nothing short of breathtaking.
The classy right-hander looked equally at home on the front or back foot, square of the wicket or straight down the ground, in his sublime half-century.
But that’s the thing – he ran out of partners and was left stranded on 99.
His was a knock that was so incredibly deserving of three figures and a raise of the bat, but his side’s performance overall was more of a case of ‘what might’ve been’.
Motoring towards Tooradin’s 5/222 in the closing stages, the Lions slipped from 5/199 to be all out for 209, with Smith 99 not out and Dylan Sutton once again coming through in the clutch with three wickets and a runout for the Gulls.
Earlier, Gulls star Cal O’Hare amassed a near run-a-ball 86 which served as a reminder of his own match-winning ability.
The highlight of his innings was two massive sixes in consecutive deliveries belted straight down the ground – one over the clubrooms.
The hard-hitting Andrew Proctor (43) and Russ Lehman – an unbeaten 35 batting at number five, instead of his usual position at the top of the order – were also particularly influential as the Lions’ attack was well and truly tamed.
The Bulls, meanwhile, flexed their muscles against the Cougars with a thumping win at Clyde.
The visitors were sitting on a relatively modest 4/73 at drinks before skipper Jake Prosser (104 not out) and Matt Welsh (81 not out) exploded to rocket the total to 4/250 from their 40 overs.
The Bulls then only needed to utilise four bowlers in defending the total well inside 30 overs – steamrolling Clyde for just 94.
Despite Prosser and gun young spinner Trav Wheller not even rolling the arm over, the Bulls’ attack still caused massive headaches courtesy of veteran offie Dwayne Doig (4/17), Matt Welsh (2/18), and Jack Bacon (2/20).
In the remaining clash of the round, the visiting Maroons were outmatched at Donnelly Reserve against the impressive, finals-bound Cobras.
Batting first, Upper Beaconsfield compiled a competition 9/162 from their 40 overs courtesy of an unbeaten half-century from Kyle Gibbs (53 not out) and 36 from Will Haines, but the Cobras reached the target early in the 36th over for the loss of just four wickets – with compact keeper-batsman Priyantha Kumara (77 not out) and Manny Goraya (48) once again the stars of the show.
Ominously, they’re in form with the bat in the season’s most vital stage.
