Helensvale Pacific Pines ready to defeat reigning All Ballsports Cup premiers in semis
The All Ballsports T20 Cup will crown new champions on Sunday, and Helensvale Pacific Pines have “no doubt” they will beat Mudgeeraba to the podium.
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As the All Ballsports T20 Cup crown new champions on Sunday, Helensvale Pacific Pines have “no doubt” they will beat Mudgeeraba to the podium.
Helensvale are the only team to enter the finals series undefeated, but will have to defeat reigning premiers Mudgeeraba in the semis if they wish to go all the way.
The competition’s top four teams – Helensvale Pacific Pines, Runaway Bay, Palm Beach Currumbin and Mudgeeraba Nerang – will play semi-finals on Sunday before the grand final at Southport in the afternoon.
Helensvale Captain Kaleb Day said the team were confident they could get the win over Mudgeeraba, despite losing to them in the past two grand finals.
“We’ve have really good T20 form over the past three years and this is our third final in a row that we’ve made,” Day said.
“The confidence is really high, I feel like we have a really well balanced T20 team and we all have a really good time out on the field.
“I think we should give Mudgee a really good run on the weekend.”
Helensvale’s semi will be played away at Queens Cricket Club, but Day said the away venue didn’t faze him.
“It doesn’t really bother us, we only played two home games in the T20 comp this year, so we have the ability to win away from home.
“It’s a ground we typically do quite well on, and a couple of the boys had some really good success there last year. We’re looking forward to it.
“The games that we’ve played haven’t been high scoring games and I think that is a credit to our bowlers.”
But another obstacle for the competition may prove to be the weather, with two rounds already washed out and more wet weather possible before Sunday.
“This weekend, given it might be a bit wet and the wicket might not be the best, our outfit might be a bit slow in places.
“It’s going to be another one of those low scoring, tight battles. But we’re well geared for that with our bowling line-up.”
In a shock to the competition, Queensland Premier League club the Gold Coast Dolphins entered the competition for the first time, but were unexpectedly knocked out of finals after going down to Alberton by seven wickets, 3/126 to 6/125.
The tournament will serve as a warm up to the Taper Financial Solutions Cup (formerly Kookaburra Cup) which begins on October 8, but Helensvale’s Harry Lickiss has already found fine form.
Lickiss began his season strong scoring 60 not out from 32 balls and picking up three wickets against Runaway Bay.
Helensvale confirmed they had full availability this weekend.
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