East Torrens and Adelaide University to meet in SA grade cricket One Day Cup grand final
East Torrens skipper Michael Cranmer hopes it will be second time lucky when his side takes on grade cricket rival Adelaide University for a second grand final in as many weeks.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Brothers steer Adelaide University to Twenty20 crown
- How to get the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
There will be a distinct sense of deja vu for grade cricket’s One Day Cup grand final at Karen Rolton Oval this Sunday.
Just two weeks after Adelaide University downed East Torrens by 17 runs in the Twenty20 decider at the same venue, the two clubs will clash again.
But Reds captain Michael Cranmer said the loss a fortnight ago would not be hanging over his side’s heads when they return to the scene of the loss.
Stream over 50 sports live and on demand with KAYO SPORTS. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly here >
“We know they’re a quality side and their white ball stuff has been really good this year, but so has ours,” Cranmer said.
“We’ll back our young side in and give it a red hot crack.
“We’ve been pretty good in the white-ball formats for a couple of years now, so I don’t think we’ll necessarily go in with a different approach.
“We’re just excited for the opportunity to be playing in another final and our young side will take them head on and, hopefully, it goes our way this time.”
Uni has never won a 50-over premiership while East Torrens will be aiming for the club’s fourth – the last coming in 2014/15.
Cranmer expected the Reds to be without gun batsman Jake Lehmann, who will be away playing for a Cricket Australia XI against the English Lions touring side.
Blacks captain Ben Wakim hoped to field a full-strength line-up, including star Redback quicks Nick Winter and Joe Mennie.
University’s T20 title earlier this month broke its duck in the format and also ended a 21-year A grade premiership drought.
The Blacks’ last flag was the two-day crown in the 1997/98 season.
They made the 50-over grand final in 2017/18 but lost to Port Adelaide.
Wakim said win had relieved the pressure on his side.
“We qualified for the one-day and T20 grand finals a couple of years ago and lost both of those,” Wakim said.
“So we’re definitely not immune to the bitterness of losing and we’re very privileged to get to two grand finals in two weeks.
“It’s not something we could have prepared for but hopefully, for us, it’s going to be two successful occasions.
“On paper (East Torrens) are very, very good team, so I’m not surprised to see them in another grand final.
“They’ve got a lot powerful hitters that can take the game away from you and we’ve got to manage that to be able to win.”
The grand final begins at 10:30am on Sunday at Karen Rolton Oval.
patrick.keam@news.com.au