Travis Head returns to Tea Tree Gully line-up ahead of SA grade cricket semi-final against Adelaide
Australian star Travis Head will give his local club a massive boost with his inclusion for a semi-final this weekend while another grade cricket side breaks an 11-year finals drought.
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Star Australian Test and Redbacks batsman Travis Head is set to make a big impact on the grade cricket finals in just his second appearance for the season.
Plus, Adelaide overcomes its demons to make its first finals appearance in 11 years, Adelaide University hit form at the right time and Kensington look to add to their one day silverware in Messenger Community News’ wrap of the last round of SA’s top cricket competition.
TEA TREE GULLY 390
GLENELG 292
Tea Tree Gully will welcome back Australian star Travis Head and competition leading wicket-taker Tim Oakley for its grade cricket semi-final against Adelaide this weekend.
The Bulls finished the minor round on a high by accounting for Glenelg by 98 runs at Glenelg Oval last Saturday.
Head, who also played for his junior club last month off the back of his 161 in the second Test against Sri Lanka, will come into the line-up and will be key to the Bulls’ two day premiership defence.
Last season, Head played his first match of the season for Tea Tree Gully in its grand final win against Sturt.
Oakley missed the match against Glenelg after he was called up for Futures League duty but will also return. He leads grade cricket with 32 wickets over the summer.
The Buffalos will take to Pertaringa Oval in good form, having gone unbeaten in their last seven matches. It included a 122-run victory over the Bulls in round six.
Tea Tree Gully player/coach Matt Weaver confirmed Head and Oakley’s inclusion and remained confident his side’s experience would count.
“We weren’t sure how the finals were going to be shaped and who we would face this week,” Weaver said.
“They’re obviously a dangerous side and have been playing some good cricket, but we’re hoping to continue the good form we’re in as well. We’ve got an experienced group and hopefully that will count for something.”
The Bulls fine-tuned for the finals by setting the Seahorses 390 on day one and bowling them out for 292.
Without their spearhead Oakley, it was an even performance with the ball as Ben Hutchinson (3/60), Weaver (2/16) Tim Evans (2/30), Brad Evans (1/9) and Joshua Macey (1/75) shared the wickets.
Hutchinson removed Glenelg star Jake Winter on 97 as he threatened to drag the Seahorses to victory.
The Seahorses were fourth coming into the final round but the loss meant they finished the season in fifth place with seven wins and five losses.
ADELAIDE 4/247
PORT ADELAIDE 244
Adelaide is relishing breaking an 11-year grade cricket finals drought but coach Shaun Siegert says it is not content with just making it to the two-day top four.
In fact, Siegert believes the Buffalos have what it takes to defeat powerhouse Tea Tree Gully.
Adelaide has beaten the reigning premiers twice already this season.
The Buffalos booked their spot in the finals with a six-wicket win over Port Adelaide at Port Reserve on Saturday.
“It’s easy to be satisfied with getting there (to the finals) but I get the sense this team has more to achieve and wants to achieve it,” Siegert said.
“Tea Tree Gully have been the standard but we’ve beaten them twice this year and, if you want to win the premiership, you’re going to have to beat them at some point.
“We’ve been playing good cricket for the last six weeks and have momentum – that’s really valuable coming into finals.”
Adelaide clinched a semi-final berth by chasing down the Magpies’ target of 244.
Openers Matt Nobes (85) and Sam Raphael (57) got the side off to a dream start, posting 127 for the first wicket.
Ben Pengelley then made an unbeaten 53 to guide the Buffalos to 4/247.
Michael Cormack (16 not out) hit a six from the final ball to secure victory.
Siegert said a more balanced batting and bowling contribution was behind Adelaide’s improved season.
“Last year we were a bit too reliant on Raph, but this season we’ve had three guys score over 500 runs,” he said.
“Plus we’ve got good variety in our bowling attack as well.”
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY 293
STURT 126
Adelaide University coach Ben Hilliard believes his side is hitting form at the right time and will take it up to top team Kensington in this weekend’s grade cricket semi-final.
A strong bowling performance at Price Memorial Oval last Saturday against Sturt shot the Blacks into the finals.
Uni was fifth before the last round of the season but made 293 on day one and then rolled the Blues for 126 to overtake fourth-placed Glenelg, which lost to Tea Tree Gully.
In contrast to last season, when the Blacks began well but faded late, Hilliard said the side was playing encouraging cricket.
“We said a couple of weeks ago ‘win the last three games and we win the flag’,” Hilliard said.
“We’ve won one and now have two more to go.
“Last year we spluttered a bit towards the end but now we’re playing some really good cricket.
“We’re confident we have what it takes to win.”
Bailey Wightman (4/43) snared three early wickets on day two against Sturt to put his side on the front foot.
Sam Kerber, who smashed 152 with the bat, took 3/19 and Ben Ellis picked up 2/25 in an evenly-spread attack.
The Blacks will be away against Kensington in a tough fixture this Saturday and Sunday.
Hilliard said Uni was wary of the Browns’ strength. They boast an impressive bowling attack including Redbacks seamer Elliot Opie, David Grant, Cameron Fatchen and spin prodigy Lloyd Pope.
“The boys are under no illusions it’s going to be a tough game,” he said.
“Jake Brown at the top is an exceptional batsman and has been very good for a long time. But it’s not just a case of one out, all out. John Dalton, Henry Dall – they’ve got plenty of guys who can make runs.
“Their strength is definitely in their bowling attack though. It’s almost like a (state) second XI. When you’re up against such a good, consistent attack like that there isn’t much respite.”
Sturt coach Ben Cameron said there was plenty for the Blues to improve on following the loss to Uni.
“It was a disappointing that we weren’t able to play at our best,” Cameron said.
“We can take a lot of lessons out of not just that game but also the season to reset for next year.”
KENSINGTON 201
WEST TORRENS 134
Kensington consolidated top spot on the two-day grade cricket ladder after beating West Torrens in the final minor round at Parkinson Oval on Saturday.
The Browns defended their 201, restricting the Eagles to 134.
James Cleggett (4/21) tore through West Torrens’ batting order to help his side enter the finals in winning form.
Kensington will be confident at home against the Buffalos in the semi-final after taking a 75-run win at Kensington Gardens Reserve in round two.
The Browns have been the dominant side across the minor rounds and its likely to have its full complement of damaging bowlers available for the clash.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS 159 & 3/112
SOUTHERN DISTRICT 236
Northern Districts player/coach Mark Cosgrove is forecasting a big pre-season after his side’s poor grade cricket two day campaign ended with another loss on Saturday.
The Jets endured their eighth defeat in nine matches, this time at the hands of Southern District. It finished a season which began with promise following two victories in the opening rounds.
Northern was bowled out for 159 at Salisbury Oval on day one before the Stingrays made 236 in reply. The Jets then finished on 3/112 in their second dig.
“It was a really disappointing way to end the season,” said Cosgrove, who will return to the role next season.
“We started so well but really tapered away and didn’t get the results we wanted at all.
“Basic errors cost us games in the end, especially in crucial moments. We need to work hard on a few of those things and we’re setting ourselves up to have a big pre-season. We’ll hopefully add a couple of senior players as well.”
Cosgrove praised the seasons of young players Dylan Smith, who led the bowling with 17 wickets, and Jake Hartigan.
The Jets finished 12th on the two-day ladder, 10th in the one day competition and 11th in Twenty20.
WOODVILLE 236
PROSPECT 228
Woodville finished its mediocre grade cricket season on a high with a nailbiting win over Prospect at home in the final round on Saturday.
It was a tense last few overs for the eighth-placed Peckers as the Pirates came close to chasing down 236, falling just eight runs short. Luke Francesca led the way with 3/67 while Mitchell Fuss (2/30) took the crucial final wicket.
The Peckers have also made the first coaching change of the year.
Former Australian Test spinner Peter Sleep is set to take the reins as Woodville coach for its 2019/20 grade cricket campaign.
The Peckers announced last week the ex-Tea Tree Gully premiership coach, 61, would take over from Sam McNally, who said in January he would step down from the role after five summers at the helm.
patrick.keam@news.com.au
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