North Geelong gunning for back-to-back T20 titles against the unbeaten Lara

It’s the clash of the unbeatables in the GCA’s T20 grand final as a perennial champion club seeks back-to-back titles against an in-form rival.

Bannockburn, who face Meredith in the T20 grand final, has struggled in the GCA3 first grade regular season. Picture: Wes Cusworth.

It’s the clash of the unbeatables this Sunday at Queens Park Reserve in Geelong cricket’s shortest format.

Defending champions North Geelong has won its last nine T20 games, and dropped just one from its last 13 over a golden short form run which began on January 18, 2023.

Meanwhile, their opponents in Lara has not lost a game so far in 2024-25 – with seven wins in the regular season and are 4-0 in the short form – and have the added motivation after being knocked out of last year’s Knockout Cup in Round 4 by 42 runs by the Magpies in early February.

Eight of those 12 victories have been in chases, with a one-wicket win just over two years ago the closest run thing in that period for North Geelong.

The Pies have rarely been tested in those 12 victories, with its solitary loss in a semi-final against 2023 champions, St Peter’s.

Star batter and South African import Phil Visser said the Magpies had used the short form to give experience to younger players, like teenagers in leg spinner Ben Demasi and hard hitting all-rounder David Murphy.

Demasi has shone, picking up hauls of 2-24 against Bell Post Hill, 3-15 versus Geelong West and 2-27 in a semi-final win over Torquay.

“We love to give our youngsters a go,” Visser said, who has produced scores of 69 off just 40 rocks and an unbeaten 25.

North Geelong star Phil Visser. Picture: Wes Cusworth.

“Demasi is an awesome fielder, you should see him in the field. He’s probably one of the best fielders in the team.

“(Murphy’s) a big boy and can hit a long ball. And he hits the deck pretty hard, he’s one we’re looking at for the future.

“Our fielding has been really good ... we really work hard on our fielding as well.

“We love the T20 format. We’ve got a good white ball team.

“We do a lot of range hitting. Every week we get into the nets and we each have 10 minutes of range hitting, I think that’s also worked in our favour.”

With this year’s T20 tournament exclusively the domain of GCA1 and 2 teams in 24-25, Visser said the revised format had made for a tougher run to the grand final.

“The competition is a little bit stronger this year, with the GCA making it only division one and two, we’ve been tested,” he said.

Lara's Kaden Marum. Picture: Wes Cusworth.

“In the semi-final Torquay gave us a really good go, I think it speaks volumes for the whole GCA that a division two club is in the final.”

Meanwhile, both teams have benefited from having settled line-ups, using just 17 players each during the tournament which began on October 29.

Visser is expecting a tough hit out against the unbeaten Cats at Queens Park.

“I think they’re got a point to prove, being in division two, I know they really want to come back in division one,” he said.

“They’ll come hard.”

Visser said the Magpies, who are shooting for a historic six-straight GCA1 first grade flags, boasted a hard working yet supportive culture, with “lots of reasons” for its dominance.

“I think the coach is one of the best coaches I’ve worked under,” Visser said of co-coach Craig Biddiscombe.

“His culture and his mindset is just something else, he brings a great hard working culture to the club.

“Everyone is happy for each other’s success, there’s no jealousy or anything like that.

“And we’ve got a couple of superstars in the team, Tom’s a freak and Sam (Hall) can just win any game of his own bat.

“The culture’s just great and I love it.”

The decider starts at 3pm on Sunday.

The Rams to face the Bulls in the second tier grand final

There is short form history between the two teams set to meet in the second tier grand final on Sunday, with Meredith knocking out Bannockburn in Round 1 of last year’s T20 competition by 44 runs

Top order batters Troy Bott (76) and captain Tyler Dittloff (53) contributed with the blade at Pioneer Park before Meredith were downed by Grovedale in Round 2.

However, the Rams are a far more potent-looking outfit this summer with some added firepower in Harli Givvens who boasts a T20 century (144) this summer against Thomson in a team total of 6-198, plus 81 against Lethbridge.

His ton against the Tigers was a 64-ball blitzkrieg with 16 fours and nine sixes.

Meanwhile, the Bulls will be chasing some rare success after a battling regular GCA3 season which has only yielded one victory to date.

Meredith's Harli Givvens. Picture: Wes Cusworth.

Dittloff said the playing group had embraced the short form competition, whereas some other teams struggle to fill sides due to work commitments.

“We had good buy-in from the group, so everyone made themselves available pretty much,” Dittloff said.

“Guys finishing work early to get there.

Bannockburn's Jamieson Jervies and Tanner Hay. Picture: Wes Cusworth.

“We only train once a week too …. it’s not one more thing for us.

“They’re more than happy to try and get out of work early and play on Tuesday.

“The guys who don’t get a game too come and watch, we’ve had a quite a few travelling for the away games.

“We used 15 or 16 players during the group games.”

However, Meredith’s final line-up remains fluid with Ballarat recruit Matt Ringin’s wife due any day and could be a late withdrawal, while Dittloff and Bott have been carrying knee issues.

Ringin took 2-15 and scored 35 against Newcomb & District in the semi-final.

Dittloff said the playing group had been committed to short form success while the president Terry Hart has promised a healthy bar tab if the Rams get up on Sunday.

“We’re really happy with how we’ve gone in the group games, and the fielding’s been really good,” Dittloff said.

“We’ve had an even spread with the bowlers.

“A few other blokes have changed plans to be available.”

The game starts at 11am on Sunday.

Originally published as North Geelong gunning for back-to-back T20 titles against the unbeaten Lara