By Nick Creely
DDCA TURF 1
SEMI-FINAL PREVIEWS
SPRINGVALE SOUTH (1st) v BUCKLEY RIDGES (2nd)
WHERE: Alex Nelson Reserve, Springvale South
WHEN: Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 March from 12:30pm
CAPTAINS: Craig Slocombe (Springvale South), David White (Buckley Ridges)
LAST TIME: Buckley Ridges 5/301 defeated Springvale South 9/277
KEY PLAYERS: Steve Spoljaric’s bowling has taken somewhat of a back step this year, but it hasn’t taken anything away from his utter dominance with the bat. ‘Spolly’ has peeled off 728 runs at a tick over 60 with three centuries and almost half a dozen half-centuries, and will be the key wicket for the Bucks right from the outset. David White is that equivalent from a Springvale South perspective. The former South-Africa A star cracked 149 off 121 when the two last met, and has scored 59 runs at an average of 98.3 from just nine innings. If the Bucks are to claw over the line, White will almost certainly be the man to set the scene.
KEY STATS: Springvale South and Buckley Ridges are the two most powerful batting sides in the competition, with the Bloods averaging almost 217 runs per innings while the Bucks average 185; albeit they’ve had a drawn game. It makes the all-important toss just that more interesting. It’s often said that runs on the board in finals count for everything, but with the firepower embedded within each batting side, running any target down is a definite possibility.
THE FINAL WORD: A grand final spot is on the line, plain and simple. The two sides met in this very same fixture last year, with the Bucks going down in an absolute classic, so there will be plenty of feeling come Saturday when the players walk to their position and await the first ball. With so much experience and class taking to the field, names such as Craig Slocombe, Steven Spoljaric, David White, Daniel Watson, Malinga Bandara, Nathan King and Jurgen Andersen are set to excite in what should be another absolute belter. While each side gets another chance regardless of the result, getting a week off and earning the right to advance through to the decider could be pivotal.
HALLAM KALORA PARK (3rd) v BERWICK (4th)
WHERE: Hallam Recreation Reserve, Hallam
WHEN: Saturday 9 March, Sunday 10 March from 12:30pm
CAPTAINS: Ciaron Connolly (Hallam Kalora Park), Matt Chasemore (Berwick)
LAST TIME: Berwick 199 defeated Hallam Kalora Park 84
KEY PLAYERS: Berwick skipper Matthew Chasemore has been remarkably consistent across the entire season, and as everyone in cricket circles knows, the champion all-rounder is a proven big game performer. Often when the Bears have been in early trouble, the champ has helped rescue his side with his composure through the middle over. And adding to his batting abilities, Chasemore has used himself more with the ball this year, with 21 wickets at 15 so far. Ben Hillard for the Hawks is an extremely important player. One of few players in the association with the ability to bat all day, Hillard’s importance at the top of the order can’t be understated. With new ball pair Brendan Rose and Cory Bevan entering the finals in strong touch, getting off to a good start is paramount.
KEY STATS: Berwick’s batting line up has been somewhat hit or miss this season, losing the most wickets (117) out of all the sides in Turf 1, but have still scored the second most runs, mostly by Nathan Pilon at the top of the order. The Hawks are statistically the most even bowling group in the competition, with Jordan Hammond leading the charge with the new ball each week, meaning that if the Hawks can break the game open and get into the Bears’ middle order early, it could go a long way in deciding the result. Another match where the toss could be so important, with both sides having their fair amount of troubles chasing.
THE FINAL WORD: Throughout what has been a fascinating Turf 1 season, both Berwick and Hallam Kalora Park have proven that on their day, they are a genuine premiership threat, whereas on the flipside, both have been at times inconsistent in patches. The Hawks enter the clash in some patchy form having lost their last two fixtures against Mordialloc and Berwick, but with finals sown up several weeks ago, it’s probably too hard to read too much into their form. It’s pretty simple for both sides, there’s no second chance, with the loser eliminated from the premiership race and the winner taking on either Springvale South or Buckley Ridges in a preliminary final. But as Mordialloc proved last year, finishing outside the top two doesn’t mean that a flag is out of the question, and both of these sides – if they can click into gear at the right time – are both massive threats.
