By David Nagel
Home ground advantage will play a huge role in this season’s WGCA Premier Division finals series…and that’s the prize on offer for Cardinia and Pakenham when the Bulls and Lions collide at Gunton Oval on Saturday.
Barring a catastrophe of monumental proportions from the top two – Tooradin and Kooweerup – the Bulls and Lions will square off in a cut-throat elimination semi-final in just two weeks’ time on February 12.
But where will it take place?
The possible venues could not be more different.
It’s a well-known fact that the Bulls play their home-ground to perfection.
They tie teams up on their sluggish outfield with tight lines and restrictive fields that first suffocate the opposition, who then panic…and make mistakes.
Both captains in last year’s grand final – Jake Prosser and Chris Bright – said the ground played a huge part in the 2020/21 decider.
At Pakenham, a well-struck cover drive, along the ground, will more than likely hit the ropes…at Cardinia…the same shot might get you two!
It’s an adjustment that visiting teams have to make, or not do so at their own peril.
Pakenham can avoid that quandary by winning this week.
The Lions had won seven in a row prior to last week’s loss to Tooradin, a high-quality encounter that showed the miniscule margins that exist between the two sides.
The Lions big five – Dale Tormey (49), Chris Smith (32), Jason Williams (29), Zac Chaplin (22) and Troy McDermott (20) – all got starts, in a positive sign moving forward.
Alex Nooy has been the star at the top-of-the-order for the Bulls in recent times…with their mid-order strength digging them out of a pickle or two.
This one is almost impossible to pick – but we’ll go for the Bulls to win narrowly on their home ground.
Kooweerup will look to continue its dominance over the bottom-four teams in the competition when the Demons play their part in a special occasion for Merinda Park at Donnelly Reserve.
This will be Cobras last game at their much-loved home ground before they make the move to Lochaven Reserve in Cranbourne West next season.
Kooweerup is living proof that stats in one-day cricket can often lie.
The Demons sit second on the ladder, but have scored less runs (1577) than any team in the competition apart from Cranbourne Meadows (1500) – who have forfeited two games this season!
But the reason is pretty simple.
Seven of the Demons’ wins have come when batting second, chasing average scores of just 128 runs.
And, of a possible 280 overs to bat in those games, the Demons have only faced 151…leaving 129 overs in the bank!
There’s nothing wrong with their batting.
The Demons are better than the Cobras – and they’ll spoil the farewell-party with a comfortable win.
A confident Carlisle Park (eighth) host Cranbourne Meadows (seventh) this week in a game that could see the battle for relegation come down to the final round of the season.
Cranny Meadows sit 18 points (a game-and-a-half) clear of the Vikings at the moment, but may lose six points after forfeiting their round-11 game against Clyde.
That’s a decision that is currently being discussed within the four walls of the WGCA.
But, whatever the outcome at the boardroom table, the Vikings need to win to keep their season alive.
They were superb last week, led by a century from Dave Nutting and a cracking innings from the in-form Anurudda ‘Teddy’ Fonseka, hunting down Clyde’s impressive 204 with four balls to spare.
The Rebels have had a season to forget, losing players early in the season and then being impacted by Covid.
The Vikings will win this and take the relegation battle all the way down to the wire.
And top-team Tooradin should keep its winning streak alive when the Seagulls roll out the welcome mat for Clyde.
The Gulls are flying at the moment, winning five in a row, and in most eyes are the team to beat for this year’s premiership.
Their batting looks immense, their bowling solid, but they will look to rectify a couple of fielding errors that snuck into their game against Pakenham last week.
Missed run-out opportunities and over-throws…boy, they can be costly in finals!
But the Gulls are cruising right now – they’ll win with a leg in the air.
