By David Nagel
The time for talk is over, the preparations are done, with the much-awaited 2021/22 WGCA Premier Division finals series now upon us.
Can the Bulls go back-to-back? Can the Gulls win their first in nine years? Can Kooweerup win it again…for the umpteenth time in the last decade? Or will the Lions from Pakenham, in sixth place after round four, complete a remarkable transformation and win one of the most satisfying premierships on record?
It’s time to find out…here’s our look at this week’s semi-finals.
Major Semi-Final
Tooradin (1) v Kooweerup (2)
Tooradin Stats…
Over 150 Runs: Cal O’Hare 525, Tom Hussey 404, Russell Lehman 314, Dylan Sutton 242, Brad Butler 199, Aaron Avery 163, Josh Lownds 159, Ben Parrott 125, Tyler Evans 115.
Over 10 Wickets: Kallan Braid-Ball 20, Russell Lehman 16, Dylan Sutton 16, Josh Lownds 14, Brad Butler 11.
Kooweerup Stats…
Over 150 Runs: Chris Bright 482, Luke McMaster 358, Chris O’Hara 149, Cody Miller 136, Matt Davey 136, Videsh Dassanayake 118.
Over 10 Wickets: Matthew Bright 22, Jess Mathers 15, Luke McMaster 14, Adam McMaster 11.
Preview
They’ve filled the top-two positions on the ladder since round five and now Tooradin and Kooweerup will battle for the tasty prize of a home grand final at Tooradin on Saturday.
Kooweerup led the competition from the start of the season all the way through to round 10, before the Seagulls swooped in round 11 and decided it was a lofty perch worth fighting for.
The Gulls have been the best and most consistent team all season and despite the quality of this week’s opponent deserve to go in as favourites.
Their inspirational skipper, Cal O’Hare, is no longer the feared all-rounder that once caused havoc with both bat and ball.
A giant of the WGCA, in both stature and deed, O’Hare has instead focussed in on his batting and is having a career best season as a consequence.
A total of 525 runs tell just part of the story, with O’Hare playing some great cricket in the early part of the season while his fellow guns were still loading.
His 11 visits to the crease have been super-consistent, with just three scores under 30 getting the Seagulls off to a steady start more often than not.
The Seagulls other key strength is obvious, with star batter Tom Hussey returning to the type of form that saw him lead the Seagulls to their last premiership success in 2013.
For those lucky enough to be at Devon Meadows that day…his 146 will forever live in the memory bank!
But this Seagulls’ side has something extra about it, a special something that screams of being able to escape from any predicament that finals series inevitably throw your way.
Of the four contenders that remain…the Gulls have the most dangerous fire-power in the mid to lower order.
Dylan Sutton, Brad Butler, Josh Lownds, Ben Parrott and Tyler Evans have all chimed in with valuable runs this season, while the experience of Aaron Avery is almost guaranteed to come to the fore over the next three weeks of cricket.
The ability to handle pressure and deal with difficult situations…that’s when Avery is at his best!
The Gulls’ opponent this week is a feared one…the mighty Kooweerup who has thoroughly earned its reputation as a club that knows how to win.
They treasure that reputation, and as they walked off Gunton Oval last season – as defeated grand finalists – you just knew they were going to bounce back.
Let’s face facts; if Chris Bright has a day out the Demons will probably win with the hard-hitting and explosive opener the best in the business at devastating attacks.
He’s got an eye like a dead-fish…and when he hits them they definitely stay hit!
But this Kooweerup team has had a bit of feel of Bright or nothing about this season, which is why the return to form of Luke McMaster last week has come at precisely the right time of year.
His 89 not out, his first half century since round seven, reminded us all of his capabilities.
The Demons have a nice mix with the ball, with Matt Bright the most frugal spinner in the comp, while Jess Mathers, John Bright and McMaster can stir things up with their pace.
It promises to a beauty…but it’s the Seagulls to take a giant step towards their first premiership in almost a decade with a nail-biting two-wicket…or 10 run win.
Minor Semi-Final
Pakenham (3) v Cardinia (4)
Pakenham Stats…
Over 150 Runs: Chris Smith 515, Jason Williams 336, Dale Tormey 301, Zac Chaplin 274, Rob Elston 227, Troy McDermott 137.
Over 10 Wickets: Tom Brennan 18, Jason Williams 18, Troy McDermott 17, James Close 14, Patrick Lawson 13.
Cardinia Stats…
Over 150 Runs: Alex Nooy 378, Bradey Welsh 260, Jake Prosser 254, Travis Wheller 271, Matt Welsh 208, Leigh Paterson 137, Nathan Volpe 105.
Over 10 Wickets: Travis Wheller 20, Jack Bacon 14, Jake Prosser 12, Lachlan Volpe 11, Dean Henwood 10.
Preview
Wow…for one of these teams…this is going to hurt!
A rampaging Pakenham hosts reigning champion Cardinia at Toomuc Reserve this week in a cut-throat elimination final for the ages.
The Lions, who have won nine of their last 10 games, take on a Bulls’ outfit that has really struggled to gain any sort of momentum this year.
The Bulls won their first three, but have since failed to string any more than two wins together!
Their batting has been held together by Alex Nooy at the top of the order, with their other key batters, Bradey Welsh, Jake Prosser, Travis Wheller and Matt Welsh all having up and down seasons.
Wheller started the season like a house on fire, scoring 159 runs in his first three games, but has made just 58 runs since.
Bradey Welsh had a purple patch through the middle of the season, scoring 97 and 72 not out, but has made just six runs from his last four hits.
Wheller and Welsh have the talent, but coming off a washout last week the pair missed out on the ideal opportunity to turn their form around.
Prosser has also not been as influential as last year, but that’s a tough marker to be measured by after his monstrous impact in a premiership year.
But, despite their battles with individual form….there’s no doubting the Bulls are winners.
They remain the reigning champs, until someone removes their crown, and the way they handled pressure in this season’s Kookaburra Cup grand final showed they still have the bottle to succeed.
They love holding silverware!
Nooy and Bradey Welsh, they looked unstoppable that day, and that’s the dangerous proposition that Dale Tormey and his Lions confront on the weekend.
Tormey, himself, has battled for form this season, but recent scores of 55 not out, 49, 46 and 46 would suggest he’s ready to tear a game apart.
The master-blaster of the WGCA over the last few years has his big bullets loaded…and is ready to fire some shots.
But if Tormey does misfire on Saturday the Lions appear to have the depth to cover, with the imperious Chris Smith, a revitalised Jason Williams, and a clean-hitting Zac Chaplin all ready to step up to the plate.
If the Lions do go on to win this year’s crown, the early season impact of Williams should not be underestimated.
The Lions were almost cooked, but the efforts of Smith, Williams and Rob Elston kept them in the hunt.
We haven’t even mentioned the likes Troy McDermott and the dangerous Sean Gramc just yet, or the inspired bowling of Tom Brennan…who keeps fronting up with a new ball and taking on the best.
This one is going to hurt…and it’s going to hurt for the Bulls.
It’s the Lions to progress to a preliminary final shootout against Kooweerup, at Denhams Road next week…after a three wicket or 40 run victory.
