By Jonty Ralphsmith
It’s the 2022-23 ladder-leader – in its 100th season – against the long time DDCA Turf 2 powerhouses.
It’s also a boom opening pairing, recruited by Beaconsfield ahead of the 2022-23 season, against the Sweeney brothers, ex-Vic Premier cricketers who lead the Cranbourne lineup.
The grand final will be contested by the two teams which have been in the most ominous form since Christmas and it is a genuine flip of the coin.
They’ve split their two home-and-away clashes, and there’s little to go off from those games to get a clear indication of who is going to win.
Cranbourne will back itself to maintain momentum if it takes early scalps.
Beaconsfield will hope Cal Tout and co. can take early wickets – as much to get the openers – as to put the Sweeney boys under early pressure.
If the stars align, Mick Sweeney’s former coach Mark Cooper could be sending down some leggies to him at some stage.
It’s all there to play for and while Beaconsfield enter as a team with lots of individuals with some form behind them, Cranbourne will reflect on the semi and know they were solid, if unspectacular, overall: a premiership blueprint.
HOW THE SEMIS PLAYED OUT
Both clubs were put under pressure to reach the big dance, in vastly different ways.
There was more drama in Cranbourne’s frenetic finish than Home and Away’s Summer Bay.
The Eagles had to fight tooth and nail to defend 10/162 after having Heinz Southern Districts 7/87, due to an array of dropped chances.
Beaconsfield, meanwhile, won by 82 runs, its pressure coming because neither Mark Cooper nor Tyler Clark were able to stick around and anchor the innings.
Instead, it was left to the middle-order, which stepped up.
Riley Clark scored 72 and formed a strong combination with Ashan Madushanka (42), before Jesse Busacca and Michael Dunstan played cameos and Mitch Tielen bowled an excellent opening spell.
BEACONSFIELD
WEAPON: Opening pair: what’s left to say? The left-hand right-hand combination of Tyler Clark and Mark Cooper complement each other so well, as has been written so many times this season, allowing each other to play to their strengths and providing a foundation. Interesting to note that in both clashes between the two teams, Marty Kelly has gotten Cooper and Pete Sweeney has gotten Clark. They’ve both had a quiet couple of weeks so surely at least one of them gets going.
QUESTION MARK: Can the middle-order back it up? Full credit to all of Riley Clark, Ashan Madushanka, Michael Dunstan and Jesse Busacca for keeping the run-rate ticking and setting such a large total in the semi. But Cranbourne is a disciplined bowling lineup with the best spinner in the competition, and has pace-on options who all offer something slightly different.
Clark and Cooper were out cheaply when the clubs squared off two weeks ago and no-one was able to save the Tigers.
It almost seems unjust to question whether the middle-order will be able to rescue Beacy again if called upon, given what they showed on the weekend.
But such is the well-rounded nature of the Tigers’ lineup that it is hard to really pick any other weakness.
UNHERALDED PLAYER
Ashan Madushanka: One of the most watchable players in Turf 2 when he’s up and going, it was terrific to see Madushanka get some runs on the weekend and the elegant lefty will hope to back it up.
His spinners also add a balance and a different dynamic to the bowling attack and he’s gone wicketless just twice this season – once against Cranbourne.
CRANBOURNE
WEAPON: Sweeney boys: It’s no coincidence that the ever-dominant Turf 2 cricketers finding form with the bat after Christmas has been right when the Eagles’ season got rolling.
QUESTION MARK: Does Harsaroup Singh play. From all reports, the first-year Eagles all-rounder, who injured his finger in round 13 against Doveton, was close to playing the semi after having throw-downs in the nets last Thursday. He could be a difference maker in the grand final, having reached 45 or more in four of his last five knocks as an aggressive opener with all the shots. If he misses, Cam Kelly, whose last half-century in the ones came in 2018-19, will likely open again, having made four runs across his past two innings filling in for Singh. They also miss his pace-off through the middle with the ball, particularly if Mick wants his brother to build pressure for a sustained period upfront, as he did on the weekend. As well as Pardeep Boyal and Ketan Akshay bowled on the weekend, Singh’s spinners would no doubt be much harder to get on top of for a team looking to target a fifth bowler.
UNHERALDED PLAYER
Tim Fathers: Is a highly commended contributor by Mick Sweeney with his seam-up balls. Penetrates batters with accuracy rather than pace which makes him a good partnership bowler. Epitomises the solid role player that premierships are built upon.
THE TIP
It’s Mark Cooper to lead Beaconsfield to glory.
