By David Nagel
KOOWEERUP and Tooradin, the two beaten semi-finalists from last season, will square off in a battle of the ages this weekend in the West Gippsland Cricket Association Premier Division grand final.
Make no mistake; these two teams deserve to stare each other down after both were in winning positions last season before rain cruelly denied them a chance of making the season decider.
The absolute beauty of this weekend’s clash for the cricket lover is that both teams believe they are the best team in West Gippsland, there’s no-way either team will settle for second best. This one will be a tooth-and-nail battle to the end to see who sips from the premiership cup on Sunday night.
Both teams have unique styles that reflect the changing face of cricket.
Kooweerup has an extremely talented line-up that combines that talent with a meticulous, old-fashioned hard-nose approach of yesteryear. Tooradin, on the other hand, are equally as talented but bring a modern-day approach – young, exciting and edgy – an impact type of style born from the modern Twenty20 era.
When both teams look in the mirror on Saturday morning, the Demons will do so with shaving cream and an old-fashioned razor in hand, a fastidious approach, while the Seagulls will flip a disposable in the bin as soon as they’re finished. That might be pushing things a bit but you get the picture.
Both teams may have reached the same destination but have done so via completely different routes.
It’s been hop on the plane and turn left for the Demons, first-class all the way, as they’ve hovered between the top-two spots on the ladder for the entire season. They franked that form by cruising through their semi-final clash with Pakenham last weekend.
Tooradin’s arrival has been a roller-coaster ride, like an episode of the Amazing Race, taking until the latter part of the season to book a finals ticket before winning a thriller against Cardinia in its semi-final.
So who has the edge and where?
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Demons batting v Seagulls bowling
The competition’s number one top order takes on the most talented bowling attack and most would agree this is where the match is most likely to be won and lost.
We’ve run out of superlatives to describe the Demons’ opening partnership of Chris O’Hara and Michael Giles; they quite simply complement each other perfectly. O’Hara has been in devastating form of late with scores of 92, 81 and 61 leading up to his semi-final 106 of last week, they’re impressive numbers in anyone’s language.
Giles is the most devastating batsman in the competition, unstoppable at his best, but hasn’t made a half-century since round 11, ironically against Tooradin. His 576 runs in the home-and-away season sum up the danger he provides this week.
The experienced Shane Dole rounds off an imposing top-three that rarely fail on the same day. Dole recently said team success means everything as he enters the latter stages of a glittering career and his selfless dismissal when well on top last week proved that by actions rather than words.
From there the Demons’ versatility kicks in. Skipper Travis Canavan made an impressive return to form last week while Chris Bright and Matt Davey can both bat for long periods of time through the middle order.
The Seagulls’ bowling attack will be under the pump early but can really change the complexion of this match with early success. Giles’ aggression takes the scoring pressure away from O’Hara so he is the key wicket at the start of the innings but even if they don’t get him early they need to keep him off strike.
O’Hara and Dole are masters at turning over the strike and it’s an area the Seagulls have to be aware of while these two are at the crease. Cut out the easy singles and get O’Hara and Dole playing risky shots rather than the low risk workmanlike batting that they’re accustomed to and the Seagulls will increase their wicket-taking chances.
Steve Hamill, Callum O’Hare, Ash Adams and Lukas Hoogenboom all have enough tricks to trouble any batsmen while captain Aaron Avery provides the accuracy. Brenton Adams’ off-spin could be vital if early success eludes the Seagulls.
In round 11 the Seagulls’ bowlers put the Demons under pressure and they didn’t respond well so that will give them confidence. O’Hara, Giles and Dole are expected to dominate every time they step to the crease so the Seagulls should cut loose with a nothing-to-lose mentality.
Early in-roads and the Seagulls are well on the way to victory.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Seagulls batting v Demons bowling
Ace batsman Tom Hussey holds the key to Tooradin’s batting and is the main prize on offer for a Kooweerup bowling attack that has a little bit of everything at its disposal.
Hussey was described by Cardinia skipper Mark Cooper as a “champion” last week and it’s the classy opener’s ability to build big scores that will be Travis Canavan’s biggest concern when in the field on the weekend.
Apart from Hussey the Seagulls have relied heavily on the number one all-rounder in the competition and their number three batsman, Callum O’Hare. He and Hussey both play a technically correct style of game and have joined forces for two century-plus stands this season. Oh, what the Seagulls would give for one of them this week!
Hussey and O’Hare aside, the Seagulls have got talent to burn but lack consistency. Brenton Adams will accompany Hussey to the crease at the start of the innings but has had a disappointing season but can put all that behind him with a grand final impact.
Jay Wilson and Brad Sauer are both powerful hitters but will they play with freedom on the biggest stage of all, like their skipper Aaron Avery did in last week’s semi-final. Avery hasn’t had the best of season’s either but has played his two best innings against the two best sides when under the spotlight. Add that to his 97 in last season’s semi-final and a big game reputation is starting to build.
The shot-making ability of Wilson, Sauer and Avery through the middle order provides danger but also a dilemma for the Seagulls. Do they live and die by the sword or go into their shells this week – it’s a question that will be intriguing to see answered.
Canavan has all bases covered with his bowling attack. Although lacking full-on pace he has Adam McMaster, Matt Davey, Ron Bright and John Bright to join himself as the medium-pace options while Chris O’Hara’s gentle mediums and Shane Dole’s off-spinners have been successful all season.
Hussey’s wicket is the most important of the 22 on offer this weekend, if he fires the Seagulls gain impetus that could be hard to stop but if the Demons get him early their pressure might be too much for the Seagulls to handle.
Canavan loves setting a seven-two off-side field and watching batsmen implode and with the Seagulls sure to take on the challenge, this battle between bat and ball will be thrilling to watch.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Who will be premiers?
Tooradin have the talent to test Kooweerup but the big question is: Will they be able to back-up after last week’s cliff-hanger?
With all the talent on offer it might seem ridiculous to focus on that alone but it’s not easy to just drop what happened last weekend and focus completely on the job at hand. The celebrations last week and the emotional drain were premiership-like and the Seagulls will need to re-focus quickly.
Kooweerup used last week as a stepping stone and are a perfectly prepared team. Batting-Tick. Bowling-Tick and what makes them tick will make them the champions of the WGCA in 2011/2012 — belief and a very big heart.
