By David Nagel
The familiar sights and sounds of early autumn are in the air.
The big four – Tooradin, Kooweerup, Pakenham and Cardinia – are set for a tantalising battle for this season’s title, while Seagulls’ star Tom Hussey is back doing what he does best…making runs for his beloved green, red and white.
Hussey (116) was the headline act in the final round of Premier Division cricket on Saturday, continuing his late-season burst with a brutal century for Tooradin (8/286) against a hapless Carlisle Park (92).
Just three weeks ago the Seagulls’ champion was – quite simply – out of touch, with consecutive scores of 6, 8 and 9 leaving him with a modest 159 runs for the season.
Perusing the aggregate batting list we had to dig a lot deeper than usual to acquaint ourselves with the name Hussey.
But what’s the old saying…never write off a champion…with Hussey now the most in-form and dangerous of the big guns in the competition as we head into this year’s finals series.
That 159 runs has now ballooned out to 404, with 245 coming in his last three outings.
Scores of 86, 43, and his twelfth century in the WGCA on the weekend, have the Seagulls looking the goods as they chase their first top-flight premiership in nine years.
Hussey was in the zone, smacking 20 fours and a towering six as he raced to his century before the drinks break.
He dominated a 102-run opening stand with his skipper Cal O’Hare (34), before continuing the carnage until he was the fourth man out with the score on 172.
Hussey’s burst of brilliance left plenty of time for players like under-18 premiership captain Tyler Evans (22), Dylan Sutton (31), Brad Butler (31) and Kallan Braid-Ball (20 not out) to find some crucial touch ahead of some big games on the horizon.
The Vikings tossed the ball around, with eight bowlers chipping away at the Seagulls.
The Vikings then got a solid start from Ravi Kodithuwakku (32) and Dave Nutting (13), but fell from 0/31 to 4/34 in a hurry.
Kodithuwakku watched from close range as Steve Hamill (4/29) breezed past his ears and did a number on his teammates.
Kodithuwakku was fifth man to go, with his sparkling innings taking his season’s tally to a super-impressive 651 runs.
The classy left-hander finished the season 126 runs ahead of O’Hare, his nearest challenger on the aggregate list.
Josh Lownds (2/18) and Braid-Ball (2/39) picked off the lower order and tail.
While Tooradin now prepares for a mouth-watering major semi-final against Kooweerup, the Vikings are licking their wounds, relegated back to District division after being over-taken by Cranbourne Meadows – who gained six points for a draw.
Players like Kodithuwakku, Anurudda Fonseka and Nutting will be missed in the top-flight next season, but the Vikings will need to tidy up their bowling if they have plans on a quick return.
Aaron Straughair was their leading wicket-taker with 10…and that’s just not going to cut it against the best teams in West Gippsland.
Pakenham (4/139) all-rounder Troy McDermott (6/26) had the ball on a string on Saturday, claiming a rare hat-trick as the Lions cruised to an easy home victory over Merinda Park (138).
McDermott, who was missing in round 13, was held back at first, but was unleashed in the middle overs, removing the dangerous Manu Goraya (8) and Daniel McCalman (8) to initially make his mark.
He then watched on as Sean Gramc (2/17) removed Cambell Bryan (65), before taking four consecutive wickets…including his hat-trick.
McDermott played a key role in the Cobras losing 6/25 to round out their innings, and their season.
The impressive Tom Brennan (2/18) continued his great season for the Lions, removing Dustin Peebles (9) and Thuduwage Kumara (6) to get the ball rolling, before McDermott hogged the spotlight.
The Lions then turned on the auto-pilot, with Dale Tormey (46) and Jason Williams (46 not out) putting on a 75-run stand after Sasindu Perera (3/10) had made some early inroads.
Pakenham will now be in deep preparation for this week’s cut-throat elimination final against Cardinia, while the Cobras will pack away the creams after finishing fifth on the ladder.
Cambell (362 runs) finished the season as the Cobras’ highest run-scorer, but Saturday’s half-century was his first conversion after getting to double figures on all but one occasion.
Cambell has the shots and a touch of class…and if he can convert on a more regular basis he could become one of the stars of the competition.
Nine scores above 20, but only one 50…suggests where the improvement needs to come from.
The Cobras had four players in the top-20 run-getters, with Cambell joined by Kumara (352), McCalman (339) and Goraya (273), but had more trouble with the ball.
Perera (16 wickets) had a solid season, but Jaskaran Singh (11) was the only other player to reach double-figures in the wicket column for this campaign.
And Kooweerup (3/143) all-rounder Luke McMaster (89 not out) has sent a timely reminder of his talents with his third half-century for the season leading the Demons to victory over Clyde (140).
McMaster dominated the post-tea session, cracking 13 fours and two sixes in his 66-ball stay at the crease.
The Demons had the Cougars on the back-foot throughout, with the competition’s leading wicket-taker, Matt Bright (4/9), at his suffocating best, bowling four maidens, and just two loose balls, in his eight-over spell.
Steve Dillon (3/29) mopped up the tail, leaving the Demons with an easy run-chase.
Joel Avard (48 not out), Jason Hameeteman (26) and Liam Bennett (25) were best of the bats for the Cougars.
McMaster and his Demon teammates will now turn their attention to a massive trip to Tooradin this weekend, while the Cougars are in reflection mode.
Hameeteman was the star for the Cougars this season, building three half-centuries (71, 81* and 86*) and a ton (104*), but only one other player, Avard (214), snuck past 200 runs.
Things were much better in the field, with skipper Matt Aslett (17 wickets), spinner Daniel Lever (13), Bennett (12) and Brett Reid (11) all being serviceable contributors with the ball.
In the final game for the season, Cranbourne Meadows has survived its relegation battle with Carlisle Park after earning six points for a draw after Lawson Poole Reserve was deemed unplayable for its game against Cardinia.
The Rebels can thank the seasons of Karanvir Singh (396 runs) and Sunny Paul (297) for surviving.
Singh, in particular, was set for a massive run total before missing the last five games of the season.
Cardinia will be fresh, but maybe a little under done, when it heads to Pakenham on Saturday for the minor semi-final.
