Darwin captain Matt Hammond will face his old side Southern Districts in Premier Grade grand final
Darwin captain Matt Hammond has encouraged his players to not repeat the mistakes of last year’s Premier Grade grand final. Get all the big talking points and relevant stats.
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Darwin captain Matt Hammond has encouraged his new-look Eagles to learn from the mistakes of last year’s grand final loss to his former side, Southern Districts.
Hammond, who captained the Crocs to a premiership in 2022 – their second in a row – defected to Kahlin Oval during the off-season.
He told this publication Darwin had Districts “on toast” on day one of the grand final at DXC Arena last September, stumbling to 7/123, only for the Crocs to post a competitive total on the back of Tim Garner’s 94 not out and 25 from Hammond himself.
Hammond has encouraged his fellow Eagles to avoid being overly emotional and keep a cool head on Saturday against a Crocs outfit which has added Josh Kann, Reiley Mark and Tom Jackson from Tracy Village.
“They love being aggressive and love being in your face,” Hammond said of his old side.
“I felt like Darwin lost their cool a little bit (last year).
“Hopefully we can learn a little bit from that.
“An attitude thing is something we can control, it’s all about controllables.”
On the subject of Garner, Hammond says his former teammate was a “very determined person” who has become Darwin cricket’s most reliable performer in finals over the past decade.
Garner has averaged 95 with the bat in finals since 2012, part of a three-peat with PINT before joining Districts for the 2022 season.
“It’s a dedication thing, he must just find a gear somewhere,” he said of Garner.
“He’s been great in those situations.
“One thing I know he’s definitely getting older, something has to give (laughs).
“We won’t have too much of a different plan against him.
“I can’t say I know what the secret is to get him out.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to sit back and say congrats to him.”
Hammond says there has been plenty of “friendly banter” between both sides since he left Gerry Wood Oval, but the teams had also changed a lot over the past 12 months, with Xavier Crone, Sam Kerber and Dean Fry no longer around.
However, he admitted it did feel “weird” at times coming up against his former club during the 2023 season.
“I’ve known those guys since I was 10 years old,” he said.
“They didn’t expect us to be there (in the grand final), pretty much.
“I don’t think anyone did.
“We do know it can get quite heated, the rivalry’s still there, that’s for sure.
“It’s never going to be easy coming from an old club to a new club.
“I’m pretty excited, it’s pretty funny how things work out.”
Hammond admitted the Eagles have done well to reach the grand final after gun opener Dylan Brasher and captain/coach/opening quick Jake Reed didn’t return for the 2023 season.
Meanwhile, keeper Dan Kerber returned to Adelaide mid-season, young gun Tom Menzies is away on under-19 international duty, top order batter Jacob Dickman suffered an ankle injury, Connor Hawkins was suspended for an off-field incident and New Zealand quick bowler Angus Sidey has been sidelined by illness.
However, Sidey is the only possible inclusion following their semi-final win over Nightcliff.
“We’ve had a pretty tough year, with a few people coming in and out,” Hammond said.
“It’s quite hard to keep a constant team together, but you’ve got to make it work somehow.
“We’re ready for the weekend … it’s always good to this time of year.
“We didn’t think we were going to be here, but we’re here.
“Cricket’s a funny game, you’re never out of the battle. Anything can happen.”
Hammond has also struggled with his own injuries, tearing a rotator cuff during Cricket 365, and bowled two overs across the final two home and away games.
However, he bounced back to season-best form against the Tigers.
Districts’ brutal batting
Are Districts playing a local version of Bazball?
The Crocs have compiled six totals of over 245 in two-day cricket so far this season, with most scored at a decent clip.
Districts’ monster scores include a brutal 259 off just 51.3 overs against Palmerston, 391 off their full 80 overs against Tracy Village, and scores of 315 and 292 off their full quota, against Waratah in a semi-final and PINT respectively.
With Kann belting a 41-ball 50 in the semi-final, the Crocs have some weapons with bat in hand.
Josh Kann, Tom Jackson, Jackson Isakka, Corey Kelly, Brodie Symons, they all like to score at around strike rates of 100.
They can pile on the runs in a hurry when they get going. So if you’re an Eagle, you remain consistent. Make them score off good balls and they may give chances.
Eagles batting is mouth-watering
Look away if you’re a bowler.
The scorecard of the Eagles showed why they are a dangerous force.
Atharv Deshpande (79), Jacob Dickman (101*) and Dhruv Kant (60*) combined to shock the minor premiers Nightcliff with a total of 2-259 off 80 overs last week.
This would’ve weighed heavily on the Tigers as they weren’t able to chase it down, falling 31 runs short after being bowled out for 228.
This patience with the bat may just wreck the Crocs.
Beware the injured cricketer
After sending down just two overs during the final two rounds of the home and away season, Hammond returned to the crease in fine style after a shoulder injury, taking 5/53 against Nightcliff in a semi-final.
Hammond has struggled with a rotator cuff tear, but is looking to bowl bulk overs alongside Blake Coburn as the Eagles seek to “grind in the middle (overs) with spin”, plus medium pace from Will Pilkington.
Hammond also brings invaluable intel from many years at Gerry Wood Oval.
After all, who would know the Crocs as intimately as the man who captained them to a flag last year?
Jackson Isakka the finals hero?
Coming off a long stint on the sideline exceeding a month with a knee injury, the New South Welshman returned in fine fashion, scoring a man-of-the-match 81 off 102 balls in the semi-final against Waratahs.
He is halfway through what could be a fairy tale story.
It will be a finals series to remember for the former Ralph Wiese Medalist, if he can produce another big score in the grand final.
Look how pumped the Crocs will be if he steps up.
September experience
While the Crocs have lost a few key players, their line up is still littered with finals experience.
Premiership players of last year, Corey Kelly and Brodie Symons, have complemented the Crocs outfit in the second half of the season.
Captain Tim Garner won a flag in his first season with the Crocs last year, Dylan Mullen was also part of the 2022 premiership win and keeper Dylan Mylius and Symons are looking for three consecutive premiership medallions.
Spin for days at Eagle land
The Eagles might not have the quicks the Crocs have but they have the spin.
Leggie Blake Coburg and offie Matt Hammond took five wickets each last week to book them a ticket into the grand final.
It’s a good time for the spin duo to be finding form and it could just be the trick to the ultimate prize.
As they say, it’s about peaking at the right time of season and the Eagles may just be doing it.
More than 50 of their 75 overs last week came from Hammond and Coburg.
It’s a similar story at Croc land with Reiley Mark and Dylan Mullen bowling spin.
Recent history
Darwin’s recent record against the Crocs in two-day cricket isn’t terrific.
In fact, the Eagles have not beaten Southern Districts in the longer format since a two-wicket win in early June, 2021.
Southern Districts also got the better of Darwin twice in grand finals last year and
beat them again in the two-day competition this year by 53 runs in round 11.
However, Darwin got the better of Districts in round 4 of the one-day competition by six wickets this season.
The Garner factor
Southern Districts captain Tim Garner is simply Mr September when it comes to finals cricket.
A four-time premiership player, including a historic three-peat at PINT from 2012-14, Garner has struck 665 runs at 95 in finals.
With scores of 94 not out in last year’s premiership win, 74 for PINT in the 2013 decider, 103 not out in the following year’s grand final and a 95 not out in a losing semi-final in 2019, Garner has shone on the big stage.
A laconic character belies a steely determination and Garner simply puts a bigger price on his wicket than most when finals roll around.
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Originally published as Darwin captain Matt Hammond will face his old side Southern Districts in Premier Grade grand final
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