By Jarrod Potter
With half the sides knocked out of the running, the other grades of the WGCA will test mettle against each other in their semi-final match ups this weekend.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:
B GRADE
BEACONSFIELD v DEVON MEADOWS
Beaconsfield faces Devon Meadows, with prior results favouring the Panthers after their round nine 71-run victory. A lot will hinge on how Devon Meadows structure their sides, with District and B grade both in finals. Alex Travaglia will probably play up in District to the detriment of B grade. Josh Walker has proven himself a revelation with the ball for Devon Meadows as well.
The Eagles have gained useful contributions from Don Kerslake, who has bounced between Premier and B grade, Brad Eagleton and Rhys Miller.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:MERINDA PARK v PAKENHAM
The Cobras have suffered a bit with player bounce, with Andrew Martin and Matt Grayson moving between the top two sides, while Martin Donaldson has come into some good form at the pointy end of the season. Grant Pearson and Scott Kunziak have been solid with the ball and stand as Merinda Park’s biggest weapons against Pakenham.
With a young side, Pakenham is a coin-flip proposition between youthful explosiveness and inexperience. A 213-run partnership between Luke Jackson and Zac Chaplin would be in high demand, but the Lions will settle for good contributions from all-rounder Troy Lehman and captain Dale McCraw.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:C GRADE
CLYDE v CARDINIA
Clyde’s best performance came from Joel Avard with a massive 138 in round eight, but it can’t rely on ringers anymore with Sub-District well in the mix. Rising star Kiefer Pieres has struck five scores above 30 for the Cougars and will come into the match as their best batting option, with his skill outmatching his age ten-fold. Daniel Waite has anchored the batting and bowling with 205 runs and 18 wickets in an impressive all-round season.
Chris Remy is tearing up the competition in C grade, posting 310 runs at 28.18 and also has snared 22 wickets to go in as the Bulls’ horns. Brad Drews is also in good form with the blade and Trent Wheller has roared through opposition orders with 22 wickets at a miserly 9.91 average.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:TOORADIN v PAKENHAM UPPER-TOOMUC
Tooradin batsman Adam Galea has enjoyed his forays into C grade, with a 100 and 80 against his name, so Seagulls’ fans of the lower grade will hope he gets another gig. Depending on a tribunal hearing, Tooradin C grade could receive Sub-District players like Andrew Sparks back. Daniel Quinn and Darren Mantel lead the bowling side for Tooradin, but will need the likes of Chris Brennan and Adam Richmond to hold the batting together in the meantime.
Ian Mortimer is leading the Yabbies with 23 wickets at 10.17 and gaining good support. After sporadic match-time, Justin Harris smacked a crucial 106 last round and will be asked to dip into the same effort reserves. With a side that hasn’t built a consistent XI all season, it’s hard to predict which way the penny will drop.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:D GRADE
BEACONSFIELD v MERINDA PARK
With 246 reasons to fear him, Beaconsfield-cannon Craig Jennings has decimated any bowler who flung a ball near him this season. Forming a dynamite combination with Michael McMahon, who has 336 runs of his own, and Greg Butler among the runs, it’s hard to see Merinda Park making a dent in the Beaconsfield top order. Add wicket-taking machine Matthew McBride, 18 at 7.94, and you’d have Beaconsfield at short odds for this match up.
Not to discredit Merinda Park though, with Ash Baker snaring wickets seemingly at will and the Messrs Cuthbertson – John and Dylan – having come into late season form with both blade and ball alike.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:EMERALD v NAR NAR GOON-MARYKNOLL
It will be a runfest as Emerald squares off against Nar Nar Goon-Maryknoll. Bombers’ Keiran Thomas, 298 runs at 42.57, will square off against Marygoons’ Tyler Guan, 164 at 82, and Geoff Ball, 291 at 32.33 for run-scoring supremacy. In the bowler’s ranks, Emerald pair Jake Rosen and Tristan Fraser will look to tear through the Marygoons while Michael Jennings should play and be asked to burden the workload.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:E GRADE
PAKENHAM UPPER-TOOMUC v EMERALD
The challenge for Emerald will be to stop Pakenham Upper-Toomuc’s Jake Abel. Abel has smashed all opponents this season, hitting 409 runs at 51.13, with Craig Spicer and Phillip Brook chipping in when asked. Likewise, the Yabbies need to negate Bombers’ Colin Burns, who is tearing up E grade with 328 runs and 18 wickets. The Barrows – John and Michael – have driven the Yabbies’ bowling this season while Keiran Blake has been useful with the ball in his five matches for the Yabbies.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:PAKENHAM v TOORADIN
Pakenham and Tooradin have feasted on runs this season. Lions’ lapped up 11 half-centuries while the Seagulls swooped on 10 of their own. Pakenham’s Harley Hulme is the big drawcard in E Grade currently, with 324 runs and a massive 128 not out in round 14 setting off the youngster’s amazing home and away record. Brett Murray and Michael Freeman have led the way for Tooradin, so it could be a case of which bowling troupe holds up best.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:F GRADE
DEVON MEADOWS v TBC
With the dispute for Officer still to be resolved on Wednesday night, Devon Meadows will have to wait to find out their opposition. The Panthers shouldn’t be worried though as they’ve torn through opposition sides all season, with Nathan Worsterling, 18 wickets at a ridiculously low 3.72. However, Worsteling has been plying his craft in B grade and may not be available for the lowest grade Panthers. Chris Floyd has taken the necessary scalps as well. Antony Scott, 298 runs at 49.67, is leading the runs, but more is needed from his team mates to give Devon Meadows peace of mind. With a pending tribunal hearing initiated by Officer, Devon Meadows could face either Officer or Pakenham this weekend.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:GEMBROOK v MERINDA PARK
Mark Newton, 435 runs at 48.33, and Dean Allcott, 262 runs, formed the run scoring nucleus for Gembrook, with Roger Armstrong, 17 wickets, getting the job done with the ball. Paul Humphrey, 310 runs at 31, and Craig Glassborrow, 269 runs, have opened each innings strongly for the Cobras with Dion Olszewski, 225 runs, keeping the runs ticking along in the middle order.
