All the news ahead of GCA4 finals action
Lethbridge captain Hayden Spiller says he has “well and truly got the belief” his side can win a GCA4 premiership, but his side’s form with the bat needs to change.
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LETHBRIDGE captain Hayden Spiller says he has “well and truly got the belief” his side can win a GCA4 premiership, despite a final round loss to Guild-St Mary’s.
In what turned out to be a preview of this Saturday’s elimination final, the Saints posted 228 from its 50 overs, Lethbridge only managing 115 in reply.
That game was played on Lethbridge’s hard wicket, however Saturday’s clash will be played on Frier Reserve’s turf wicket.
Having beaten Guild-St Mary’s there in round 7, Spiller said the turf wicket suits his bowlers.
“Our bowling attack certainly suits turf, we’ve got a lot of line and length sort of bowlers that are a bit harder to play on turf and they can go for a bit on hard wickets,” he said.
“Hopefully the turf does play into our hands in that regard a little bit.”
Leading into the final round clash, Spiller told the Addy he expected Lethbridge’s hard wicket to suit the Saints.
A poor final five overs with the ball saw that eventuate.
“Saturday probably went a bit how I (expected) … they got a big score out on the hard wicket which probably favours them a bit,” Spiller said.
“I thought we bowled really well all day, especially for the first 45 (overs) and fielded really well, caught really well.
“I thought sort of 200 was probably par with how quick our ground was and on the hard wicket … we probably had them about 160, 170 I reckon with about five (overs) to go.
“A few boys got spanked and we dropped a few catches and it cost us, I think we went for 20 something (runs) off the last over.
“It really blew the score out from what would’ve been a below par run chase, it sort of turned the game on its head really that last five overs.”
Spiller said nothing would change in side’s planning or preparation for this weekend’s cutthroat final.
“We’ll go in (with the) same plan as we have for the last two times against them, it worked well on their home deck last time,” he said.
“It’s just going to be the case of if we can get enough runs which has been letting us down sort of the last three weeks.
“I’ve well and truly got the belief in our side … we were playing GCA3 finals last (season) and beating these sides that we’re up against now.
“It’s got nothing to do with the cattle we’ve got, we’ve just got to (get) our ducks in a row, I guess, and hopefully put together a complete performance.
“I know we’ve got the talent capable of contending for the premiership this year, it’s just going to be whether we pull through and provide the performance that’ll deliver that result.”
Star Saints return for cutthroat final clash
Grant Stripling and Thomas Kent are set to bolster Guild-St Mary’s line-up for its cutthroat GCA4 elimination final clash with Lethbridge.
Stripling (away) and Kent (ankle) missed the Saints’ round 14 win over Lethbridge, however will return to the side on Saturday at Frier Reserve eyeing a victory.
Guild-St Mary’s dominated the clash between the two sides last round, posting 228 from its 50 overs and dismissing Lethbridge for 115 in reply.
“We were thrilled, some of our batsmen kicked off … they made some runs … and gave our bowlers something to defend,” he said.
“We changed the batting order, so we promoted Amritpal (Sahi) to the top … then in the middle order KK (Khasim Pathan) and in the end Gurbir (Randhawa) they scored really well.
“We hit four sixes in the last over.”
Last time Guild-St Mary’s faced Lethbridge at home, the Rosellas proved too strong by four wickets on a tough pitch to bat on.
Choudhary said a new pitch was set to be made for Saturday.
“Last time when we played against them we batted first and the pitch was a bit wet and it was turning a lot,” he said.
“This time I hope we’ll get a better wicket and we’ll perform well.
“They’re making a new pitch for the (final).”
Having dismissed Lethbridge for 115 just days ago, Choudhary said his bowlers got a confidence boost from the performance.
“Gurbir’s lead bowler and Amritpal … they got seven wickets between them,” he said.
“That gives them good confidence and (a) good boost.
“It’s good, we played against Lethbridge and we are playing against (them) again, so we know the batsmen, how they play, where we can stop them.”
No strangers to finals action after featuring in a GCA3 semi-final last season, Choudhary said the Saints would treat this weekend’s clash like any other.
“We play all the games like it’s just another game, we don’t think about the semi-final or final, we just give 100 per cent,” he said.
“We don’t think about the pressure or anything, we just play as a normal game.”
Eagles to ‘start from zero’ in quest for premiership
His side sits nearly four games clear on top of the GCA4 ladder, but Waurn Ponds-Deakin captain-coach John Thomson says the season starts “from zero” on Saturday.
The Eagles will welcome Little River to Jarvis Oval for a qualifying final clash, the Redbacks the only side to have handed Waurn Ponds-Deakin a loss this season.
While his side has dominated much of the campaign, Thomson said it was aware of the talent Little River possesses.
“I think one of our boys Harrison Haynes said after the win on Saturday, you start from zero,” Thomson said.
“I think we’re four and a bit games on top, doesn’t mean anything, you go into a final (and) you’ve still got to win it.
“Little River are a good side, they’ve got some good players … obviously we go in there thinking we can win the game, but you’ve also got to prepare the best you can.”
Waurn Ponds-Deakin come into the contest with something that no other team has, star bat Philip Visser.
The South African has made 739 runs at 105.57 this GCA4 season, 218 runs clear of Guild-St Mary’s Khasim Pathan in second.
While he holds the key to the Eagles’ flag hopes, Thomson said the group was aware Visser couldn’t win a premiership on his own.
“We say it every week, just got to make sure we don’t leave it to Phil,” he said.
“I think our scores sort of highlighted (it) when we played Lethbridge, he didn’t have to bat, we chased that down without him having to do anything.
“Then we played North Shore as well, there were two weeks there where he didn’t really have to do too much.
“Sort of highlights that we’re not just a one-man band, we can get it done with and without Phil.”
Having been dismissed for 80 back in round 4, Thomson said Waurn Ponds-Deakin was aware of Little River’s potent bowling attack.
“I think we’ve just got to play our game and just get on top of their bowling,” he said.
“Obviously if they get their tail up they’re pretty dangerous.
“With the ball, obviously they’ve got the two openers who have been pretty destructive this (season), so just getting a couple of early wickets is going to be key.”
Coming into finals as heavy flag favourites, Thomson said his group was aware of the pressure that comes with that title.
“I think it’s obviously there, you’re aware of it,” he said.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean anything, yes we get the home final which is great but it’s a final, funny things happen in a final and we’ve just got to prepare the best we can.”
Little River attacking GCA4 finals ‘full of confidence’
Little River River captain Nic Fairchild says his side is going into Saturday’s qualifying final clash with Waurn Ponds-Deakin “full of confidence”.
The Redbacks are the only side to beat the minor premiers this GCA4 season, way back in round 4.
Much of that victory was thanks to a superb bowling performance, with Little River skittling the Eagles for 80, including dismissing leading GCA4 bat Philip Visser for a duck.
“I think we’re the only team to beat them this year but I think for us it’s knowing that we’ve done it before so we can probably do it again,” Fairchild said.
“We’ve beat them on their ground before this year, why can’t we do it again is probably our motto.
“(We need to take) early wickets and try and take the chance against Visser when it comes, if it comes.
“We know that they rely quite heavily on a couple of bats, they’ve been pretty consistent all (season) with their batting.
“If we can get early wickets again then we can set ourselves up to try and get them to a good total.”
Waurn Ponds-Deakin reversed the result in the round 11 rematch, dismissing Little River for 90.
Visser dominated the run chase with an unbeaten 59, an innings that Fairchild said the Redbacks learnt a lot from.
“Last time we (played) them we got to see him bat for 10, 15 overs and he went really well,” he said.
“There were things that we thought of as a team, little plans that we can create to try and create those chances and take that wicket.
“People don’t have a good week every week so if we can put our plans in motion and get that once chance, it’s all we need.”
Little River is fresh from a dominant win over Teesdale at the weekend, bowling the Roos out for 99.
Strong bowling has been a staple for the Redbacks the past month, having Guild-St Mary’s 6-68 before the rain came in round 13 and dismissing Lethbridge for 152 in round 12.
“I think it’s probably been the last three or four weeks we’ve had early wickets in nearly all of our matches,” Fairchild said.
“Our bowlers I feel like are just coming good at the right time and they’re bowling really consistently which is great for us.
“We just really wanted to make sure we finished the season strongly and really go in with good form into finals.
“Having that loss into finals probably shakes the confidence a little bit.
“We’re going in full of confidence knowing that (there’s) really nothing to lose for us.”
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