By Tyler Lewis
NARRE SOUTH v SPRINGVALE SOUTH
STRAITHARD RESERVE – 12:30PM
For Narre South and Springvale South, it’s do-or-die as the loser’s curtains close on the 2021/22 season.
The Lions have won both clashes with the Bloods this year, and after the Bloods wash out last Saturday, will go in with the home-ground advantage.
Lions skipper Kyle Hardy is confident his side is going to take the wins during the season into this Saturday, with the belief they can beat the Bloods a third time.
“We take confidence out of it, we know they’re probably still the favourites to beat us, which is fine by us,” he said.
“We will go in how we always do, go in with confidence and no pressure on us, just try and get the job done like we have all year.”
Narre South is 4-1 on its home track since Christmas, and the way each side plays the wicket is what Hardy thinks will separate the sides on the day, with the Narre deck offering plenty for the new-ball bowlers.
“When it comes to our wicket it’s those first 20 overs that are crucial, for whoever is batting first,” he said.
“The first 20 overs or so, if you can get through that period, you’re going to make a lot of runs because we have a quick outfield and the wicket seems to flatten out.
“I reckon the first 20 overs for each batting side is crucial.”
Despite punishing 431 runs this summer, Jordan Wyatt has only made 35 runs collectively in the two matches against the Lions.
And while the destruction of Wyatt’s blade has bypassed Narre South, his importance hasn’t escaped the Lions captain.
“He’s massive,” Hardy said.
“We know he is a gun player; I think he made 30 odd against us last time and he made it look very easy.
“We have our own plans for him, we are going to try and bowl to the areas we want to bowl and try and make it as hard on him as possible.
“I think if we can do that, hopefully, we can dismiss him.”
Narre South’s opponent, Springy South, came into the summer as premiership favourites, but have found itself in fourth position heading into the finals.
And though it will have to win the flag ‘the long way’, Bloods skipper Paul Hill isn’t looking deeply into the final positions on the ladder, revealing he believes it’ll come down to form in the next three weeks.
“I have said all along that it’s really close,” Hill said of the top four.
“Buckley finishing a couple games clear on top perhaps shows they might be the best… we had a poor performance against Buckley on the Sunday (round 1), but up until then I think we lost three games of cricket and made 200 in all three of them.
“I think it has been really close between those sides, we have to respect the other mobs around us, Narre South have made 200 plus in pretty much every game since Christmas.
“Everyone deserves to be where they are and the team that plays the best cricket over the next few weeks will be the winner.”
In round four the Lions restricted the Bloods to 7/192, before reeling it in inside the 41st over with six wickets in hand.
In round 11 the Lions came away victorious once again defending its score of 6/218 by just two runs, as Hill was run out on the final ball.
Despite having the wood over his side this season, Hill isn’t taking too much out of the results, as he feels they could’ve gone either way.
“They have been two really close games,” he said.
“At their patch first up, we got the worst of the conditions batting on a bit of a tricky one, but then at home they beat us in a close one.
“Nothing too different from us (in the lead up), we have a few things we can improve on a bit, not necessarily against them, but in general.
“We are really looking forward to the challenge, we think our best stacks up, so hopefully they don’t get us a third time.”
WHAT THE GAZETTE SAYS:
While there will be a lot of hype and eyes on the performances of Kyle Hardy (406 at 33.83) and Jordan Wyatt (431 at 47.88) at their respective top orders, this game will be won and lost by the side that can take more control with the ball.
Lions spearhead Tim Phillips has hit form in the most timely of manners, but it’s the Bloods bowlers who have been in ominous form since Christmas.
Akshat Buch (24 wickets at 15.04) and Blade Baxter (25 at 15.76) have taken 49 wickets between them this summer, the most of any duo in the competition.
Not only will the Lions need to be wary of being dismissed, and the run rate, against the prolific pair, but also the speed in which Buch can rush through his overs if he’s bowling successive dot balls.
The left-arm tweaker took the new ball in the Bloods last clash with St. Mary’s, but with Hardy at the top and what Straithard Reserve typically offers to the seamers in the early stages, expect Blade Baxter to take the new ball back from Buch.
The four expected openers – Mitch Forsyth, Ryan Quirk, Kyle Hardy and Morteza Ali – will certainly have their work cut out for them at the start of this one.
SELECTION:
NARRE SOUTH:
Kyle Hardy (c), Kirk Dickson, Tim Phillips, Joel Zietsman, Jawed Hussaini, Vineth Jayasuriya Arachchige, Harsha de Silva, Mortzea Ali, Riley McDonald (wk), Adam Snelling, Stephen Brooks.
SPRINGVALE SOUTH:
Paul Hill (c,wk), Jarryd Straker, Mitch Forsyth, Josh Dowling, Jackson Sketcher, Kyle Martin, Ryan Quirk, Brayden Sharp, Blade Baxter, Jordan Wyatt, Akshat Buch.
FINALS BRACKET:
SEMI FINAL: Buckley Ridges v Berwick
ELIMINATION FINAL: Narre South v Springvale South
PRELIMINARY FINAL: Loser of SF v Winner of EF
GRAND FINAL: Winner of SF v Winner of PF
