By David Nagel
There’s never been a closer title race!
Ladder positions very rarely mean anything when it comes to finals and that line of thinking has never been clearer as we head into the highly-anticipated semi-finals of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) Premier Division.
Four teams – that will consider not making a grand final a dismal failure – are about to lock horns in two cut-throat engagements that are almost impossible to predict.
Pakenham host Cardinia, while Tooradin roll out the welcome mat for Kooweerup.
The top-two, Pakenham and Tooradin, have held a clear margin over Kooweerup and Cardinia all year – but momentum has clearly swung in recent times.
In fact, take the ladder away as a guide and teams three and four would probably go into the semi-finals as favourites!
Pakenham and Tooradin have struggled in recent times, both losing two of their last three games, while Kooweerup is the only team in the competition to win all three, and Cardinia has rounded out its season with two wins.
It sets up a mouth-watering weekend of cricket, with the two winners to face off looking to become the dominant team of the last five years.
Pakenham saluted in 2019, Kooweerup in 2020, while Cardinia (2021) and Tooradin (2022) have claimed the last two premierships on offer.
Let’s take a closer look at both games.
SEMI-FINAL 1
Pakenham (1) v Cardinia (4)
Venue: Toomuc Reserve, Pakenham
Head-to Head: Pakenham 2-0
TACTICS
If the only two-day game between Pakenham and Cardinia is anything to go by, this will be a slow, tense and grinding affair.
Yes, the game was played on Cardinia’s slow ground at Gunton Oval in round seven, but 132 overs were bowled for just 231 runs.
That’s 1.75 runs per over, or a score of 140 off 80 overs!
That’s not purely the slowness of the ground, there’s a particular mindset rolled in there as well.
The Bulls let the Lions dictate with the ball, with Jason Williams (31-14-4-46), Dale Tormey (18.2.7.4.30) and Tommy Tyrrell (12-6-2-27) the only three bowlers used that day.
Do the Bulls shake that negative mindset, that has cost them in games this year – most notably against Merinda Park in round five – or are they happy to settle in for a dog-fight.
Both teams have key weapons that neither have seen this season…and both are potential match-winners.
Leg-spinner Lachie Volpe is one of the form bowlers of the competition, taking 15 wickets at 9.93 since making his return after Christmas, while Lions’ opener Chris Smith could be the player to set a higher tempo to this match.
Smith is a glorious stroke-maker, one of the best in the business over the last decade, and it will be interesting to see if Tormey sends him out to cause maximum damage and dominate from the outset.
Tactically, who has the courage to take this one on…but risk potential failure!
THE LIONS
Style of Play: Heavy scoring from the top order.
All teams obviously want their top-order to fire, but Pakenham has been more reliant than most on its top four. Dale Tormey (454 runs), Rob Elston (417), Jack Anning (364) and Chris Smith (293) have all been good this season, but Jason Williams (192) is the only other player to have made more than 70 runs.
Key Player: Rob Elston: May drop down the order to provide post-tea stability.
THE BULLS
Style of Play: Pace off the ball.
Bradey Welsh (325) is the Bulls top run-scorer this season, with skipper Jake Prosser (293) a close second, but it’s in the field where the Bulls will focus their attention. Veteran Dean Henwood and up-and-comer Josh Grogan provide medium-pace options, but it’s the slow bowling of Prosser, Lachie Volpe and Travis Wheller that will dictate whether the Bulls go through to the big dance.
Key Player: Jake Prosser. Will need to make mid-lower runs under pressure.
SEMI-FINAL 2
Tooradin (2) v Kooweerup (3)
Venue: Tooradin Rec Reserve
Head-to-Head: Tooradin 2-0
TACTICS
The big question for Kooweerup skipper Michael Giles is…Where does he bat the dangerous Chris Bright?
‘Wombat’ has been a staple at the top of the order for the Demons, but since the turn of the new year has shared his roles between opening and four and five.
Bright made his best score for the season (70) at the top-of-the-order against the Seagulls in the two-day clash in round seven, so does that play on Giles’ mind?
Tooradin skipper Cal O’Hare also has some thinking to do, but more so in the field.
Does he take the pace off against the Demons, with Josh Lownds having taken nine wickets (4/30 and 5/48) against Kooweerup this season, or does he try and blast the opposition out with the explosive pace of Brad Butler?
Lownds and Butler will likely be secondary options, after Kallan Braid-Ball and Russell Lehman take the new ball, and that first bowling change will give us an indication of the Seagulls’ gameplan.
Butler has had mixed results against the Demons this season, taking 3/36 in the one-dayer, before being expensive in the two-day match with 2/44 off 6.3.
The Seagulls should themselves be facing pace in the nets this week, with the pace-battery of Luke McMaster, Jess Mathers and Gamini Kumara having all bowled more overs than the Demons’ number-one slow bowling option in Matt Bright, who has only bowled 84 overs for the season.
O’Hare has more options…and that’s a good place to be!
THE SEAGULLS
Style of Play: Overall depth will get us through.
The Gulls are the excitement-machines of the competition, with many players that can take the game away in an instant. Have been poor with the bat in the last four games, but have still made 274 runs more than any other team this season. They have the depth, but need to be more selfish over the next two weeks and not leave it to others.
Key Player: Russell Lehman. A finals specialist who can do it with bat and ball.
THE DEMONS
Style of Play: Hit ‘em with pace.
The Demons have serious class with the bat, with Luke McMaster (459), Gamini Kumara (391) and Chris Bright (330) all making more than 300 runs this season, but it’s with the ball where things get exciting. The Demons have three speedsters in their line up in Adam McMaster, Luke McMaster and Jess Mathers, while Kumara and X-factor Mitch Davey can send them down as well.
Key Player: Jess Mathers. Great all-rounder who looks to have timed his run to perfection.
TIPS
PAKENHAM to defeat Cardinia. TOORADIN to defeat Kooweerup.
