Beaconsfield’s Jason Dodd has been in fine form with the bat this season but it’s with the ball that the Tigers need him to recapture form. Dodd and the Tigers’ attack will need to strike early this Saturday against the powerful Kooweerup batting line-up. 74837 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By David Nagel
REIGNING premier Beaconsfield has not tasted defeat since October last year but that form line faces its biggest hurdle yet when it travels to Kooweerup for round nine of West Gippsland Premier Division cricket on Saturday.
Winless after four rounds the Tigers have batted their way back into finals contention, but those wins were against much lesser opposition than what they’ll face in this week’s one-dayer against the top of the table Demons.
In fact, both teams face tougher opposition than recent times.
The reverse draw reached its summit just before Christmas and both teams are coming off back-to-back victories over the bottom two teams on the ladder – the Tigers against Pakenham Upper-Toomuc and the Demons rollicking their way to wins over relegation bound Officer.
The story of this week’s clash is that half the match looks well balanced while the other 40 overs will determine the result.
Beaconsfield’s batting has been outstanding in recent times and looks a good match for the home side’s bowling attack.
A Troy McDermott century and substantial time at the crease for Brad Miles, Jordy Andrews, Don Kerslake, Jason Dodd and Brendon Lloyd has been the cornerstone of its recent resurgence.
When a team racks up 792 runs for the loss of 22 wickets in its last three games it is clear that it’s seeing the ball OK.
Beaconsfield will need to be at its best against a Demons’ attack that will have a wonderful blend of youth and experience.
Its outright victory over Officer in round eight was highlighted by a magnificent nine wicket haul by junior player Adam McMaster (4/26 and 5/15).
There’s a lot of easy kills in the Officer line-up right now but McMaster did take the key scalp of Ollie Brown twice in the match to at least frank his form line.
Evergreen Matt Davey (5/16) shared second innings honours as the two rolled the Bullants for an embarrassing 45.
McMaster (17), Davey (13), Chris O’Hara (12) and Shane Dole (10) all sit inside the league’s top 10 wicket taking list which indicates the challenge that lays ahead for the Tigers.
When Kooweerup takes to the crease expect the real new year’s fireworks display to begin.
Its top-order is explosive.
O’Hara and Michael Giles torch opposition attacks for fun and this week they run into a Tigers bowling outfit that, this season anyway, would have trouble extinguishing a two-year-old’s birthday cake.
A six-wicket haul by Troy McDermott in round five has been the only highlight for the Tigers’ attack that has lacked penetration all season.
If McDermott, Jason Dodd and Mat O’Connor can turn things around and make early in-roads on Saturday then they could expose a batting line-up lacking in match practice.
Recent dominance and a wash-out have meant O’Hara, Giles, Dole and Matt Bright are the only Demons to have any decent time at the crease since early November.
However, that’s a very big “if” and the Demons should start the new year off with a convincing victory.
