Eastern Cricket Association: Toorak Prahran and East Doncaster look to end their summer frustration
Toorak Prahran and East Doncaster will be looking to shake finals disappointment when they take the field for their Eastern Cricket Association grand finals tomorrow.
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Toorak Prahran and East Doncaster will be looking to shake finals disappointment when they take the field for their Eastern Cricket Association grand finals tomorrow.
Since crossing from the Southern Cricket League in 2015, Toorak Prahran has made the MacGibbon Shield finals four times, bowing out at the semi-final stage three times before reaching last year’s grand final, only to crash at the hands of Edinburgh.
East Doncaster will be looking to go a big step further in the Dunstan Shield decider against North Balwyn at Zerbes Reserve this weekend after bowing out in the semi-final last summer and in 2015/16.
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After getting over Heathmont comfortably in last weekend’s semi-final, East Doncaster skipper Matt Vaiano said the key to a good showing on the biggest stage would be to keep doing what they’ve been doing all summer.
“We just have to back our strengths,” he said. “We know the game we play, it’s got us here.
“We know what North Balwyn will bring to the table and they know what we bring to the table.
“We’ve kind of been on that fringe in third and fourth pace, just missing out in a few semi-finals. It’s going to be good to jump that hurdle.”
After finishing the home-and-away season 4 ½ games clear at the top of the ladder, Toorak Prahran was tested by Deepdene Uniting in the semi-final.
After being held to 178, the Combine surrendered 0-20 by stumps on the first day.
But an unshakeable belief bankrolled a stunning effort with the ball on Day 2 and Deepdene’s challenge was sent packing for 80 in 40.1 overs.
Skipper Hugo Trotter led by example, taking a matchwinning haul of 6-19 off 17 overs.
While 178 may not have seemed enough, Trotter was always confident the Combine had enough in the bank.
“If you said at the start of the day, I would have taken 180 in a semi-final,” he said. “But I slept rough on Saturday night because they got off to a bit of a flyer.”
But Toorak Prahran’s bowling attack came to the fore the next day and wrapped things up in about two hours.
“We are so fortunate to have so many all-rounders,” Trotter said. “We had a few guys miss out with the bat on Saturday and they really made up for it on Sunday with the ball.”
And the key to ending the long run of outs with a grand final win over Clifton Hill this week?
“A lot of guys make the mistake of playing the game in their heads in the days leading up to the grand final,” Trotter said. “We learnt a lot of lessons from last year and we’re going to do what we’ve been doing all year.
“There’s a fair bit of belief and a real hunger in this team.”
Grand Finals
Dunstan Shield: East Doncaster v North Balwyn (Zerbes Reserve, March 16-17)
MacGibbon Shield: Toorak Prahran v Clifton Hill (Balwyn Park, March 16 and 23)
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