By David Nagel
A club striving for rare success takes on the most successful team of its generation when Merinda Park and Kooweerup collide in a ‘David v Goliath’ battle for the CCCA T20 Kookaburra Cup at Glover Reserve on Sunday.
Merinda Park was last champions of the WGCA/CCCA in 2001/02 – winning the then A Grade premiership against Pakenham Upper/Toomuc – and have been Premier Division regulars since winning the District Division flag in 2011/12.
On the T20 front the Cobras have only once played in a grand final, losing to Cardinia in 2012/13, the same year they played in a losing Premier Division grand final against a Tom Hussey-inspired Tooradin.
This week they take on a Kooweerup outfit that play in grand finals for fun.
The Demons have won eight of the last 14 Premier Division flags, and finished runner up three times, while their Kookaburra Cup record is also impressive.
They won in 2010/11, and then went back-to-back from 2013/14 through to 15, and have been runner up five times.
The most recent of those runner-up finishes was against Cardinia last year.
Despite the disparity in history, this one should be a cracker with both teams heading into the Kookaburra Cup decider with perfect 4-0 records this season.
Kooweerup had a major scare against Clyde in round two of the knock-out stage of the tournament, but have otherwise been imperious.
Steven Dillon has been outstanding with the ball, taking a competition-high 14 wickets at an economy rate of 4.62 runs per over, while marquee-player Sahan Perera is second on the bowling list with five wickets and leads the way with the bat.
Perera has made 140 runs off just 102 balls, with Luke McMaster (64) and Gamini Kumara (51) the only other Demons above 50.
Merinda Park also progressed to the semi-final stage undefeated and booked its place in the big dance with a thrilling last-ball semi-final victory over Pakenham.
Marquee-player Luke Shelton made 66 not out, while Rumesh Ranasinghe continued his sparkling form through the tournament.
Ranasinghe has bowled 16 overs and claimed the incredible figures of 12/69; made up of terrific spells of 3/13, 3/15, 3/16 and 3/25 against the Lions.
The Country Week left-arm off-spinner has also made 110 runs with the bat, clearly the best of the 11 Cobras that will represent the club on Sunday.
Merinda Park captain Mat Campbell said the entire T20 journey had been beneficial for the club.
“We got knocked out in the semi-finals last year and identified that it created a real buzz around the club, having a bit of success really got people engaged,” Campbell said.
“Off the back of that, we had people come back to the club and show their support and it created a great atmosphere, and the players really enjoyed playing in front of that.
“We went to Cardinia, and outnumbered them in regards to support, then at Devon Meadows we did the same, and then at our home ground we basically doubled what we took to other grounds.”
Campbell said the influence of Shelton had played a huge role in the Cobras’ winning streak.
“He’s a class above, he’s coached in Mossman, New South Wales, he’s the current captain of Casey (South Melbourne) and they’re having a great season as well,” he said.
“He understands the game better than most and he has the skill set to back it up.
“It should be a great contest…we’re excited by the challenge.”
CCCA KOOKABURRA CUP GRAND FINALS
Glover Reserve, Devon Meadows
Sunday 4 February
10am District Division Grand Final
Cranbourne Meadows v Nar Nar Goon/Maryknoll.
2pm Premier Division Grand Final
Kooweerup v Merinda Park
ROAD TO THE FINAL
KOOWEERUP
ROUND 1
KOOWEERUP 2/101 (13.3) defeated PAKENHAM 8/100 (20)
TOSS: Pakenham – Bat.
Kooweerup began its Kookaburra Cup three-game round-robin campaign with an easy win over Pakenham.
Luke McMaster, Steven Dillon and Sahan Perera kept the Lions under wraps with a ruthless bowling display before McMaster, Perera and Suchintha Lakshan made light work of the reply.
The Demons won with eight wickets in hand and 39 balls to spare.
Wicket Takers: Luke McMaster 4-0-15-3, Steven Dillon 4-0-15-2, Sahan Perera 4-0-14-1.
Top 3 Batting: Luke McMaster 28, Sahan Perera 26*, Suchintha Lakshan 21.
ROUND 2
CLYDE 8/113 (20) defeated by KOOWEERUP 119 (19.2)
TOSS: Kooweerup -Bat.
The Demons got out of jail in this one. They were 5/17 before Cody Miller, Sahan Perera, Lachie Ramage and number-10 Joel Anderson made the only double-figure scores of the innings to reach 119.
The Cougars were then 3/103 off 17 in reply, requiring 17 runs from three overs with seven wickets left in the sheds.
But the Demons captured 5/10 from the last three to win by six.
Steven Dillon, Perera and Rob Maskiell – who was on a last-over hat-trick – were the heroes for the Demons with the ball.
Wicket Takers: Robert Maskiell 4-0-23-3, Steven Dillon 4-0-20-2, Sahan Perera 4-0-23-2.
Top 3 Batting: Joel Anderson 29, Sahan Perera 27, Cody Miller 21.
ROUND 3
CARLISLE PARK 80 (16.5) defeated by KOOWEERUP 4/83 (12.2)
TOSS: Carlisle Park – Bat.
It was the ‘Steven Dillon Show’ at the Hunt Club Oval with his right-arm darts capturing 7/10 to knock the Vikings innings off its axis.
Amazingly Dillon was on three hat-tricks, after claiming back-to-back wickets in his first, third and fourth overs, and claimed 5/1 from his last 11 balls.
A Sahan Perera half-century then piloted the Demons to an effortless victory and a clean-sweep of the round-robin stage of the tournament.
Wicket Takers: Steven Dillon 3.5-1-10-7, Sahan Perera 2-0-8-1, Joel Anderson 2-0-12-1, Robert Maskiell 2-0-16-1.
Top 3 Batting: Sahan Perera 50*, Gamini Kumara 8, Mitch Davey 8.
SEMI-FINAL
KOOWEERUP 5/200 (20) defeated DEVON MEADOWS 9/145 (20)
TOSS: Kooweerup – Bat.
The Demons were at their ruthless best in the grand final qualifier with Luke McMaster and Sahan Perera setting things up at the top before Mitch Davey, Gamini Kumara and Adam McMaster put the finishing touches on a huge score.
Kooweerup then managed its defence wisely, with dangerman Lucas Ligt (51 off 32) facing just half the balls of the other players in the Panthers top six.
Steven Dillon then led the way again with the ball, with great support from Cody Miller and four other wicket-takers.
Wicket Takers: Steven Dillon 3-0-22-3, Cody Miller 2-0-12-2, Suchintha Lakshan 1-0-6-1, Sahan Perera 3-0-14-1, Mitch Davey 2-0-15-1, Adam McMaster 4-0-22-1.
Top-3 Batting: Adam McMaster 45*, Gamini Kumara 43*, Sahan Perera 37.
STATS STARS
BATTING: Sahan Perera 140 runs (102 balls), Luke McMaster 64 (43 balls), Gamini Kumara 51 (36 balls), Mitch Davey 46 (49 balls), Adam McMaster 45 (25 balls).
BOWLING: Steven Dillon 14/67 (4.62 Economy), Sahan Perera 5/59 (4.54), Rob Maskiell 4/81 (7.36), Luke McMaster 3/54 (4.91).
ROAD TO THE FINAL
MERINDA PARK
ROUND 1
MERINDA PARK 9/176 (20 overs) defeated TOORADIN 8/130 (20)
TOSS: Merinda Park – Bat.
Marquee-player Michael De Iacovo set the scene for the whole tournament for the Cobras with a magnificent 76 off just 42 balls, which included 10 fours and three sixes.
Rumesh Ranasinghe and Pawan Thind then went better than a run-a-ball, helping the Cougars to a competitive score.
The Cobras then subdued the talented Seagulls line up, with Ranasinghe, Bevin Corneille and Raveen Kadirahettiarachchi all taking multiple wickets.
Wicket Takers: Rumesh Ranasinghe 4-0-13-3, Bevin Corneille 4-0-26-2, Raveen Kadirahettiarachchi 4-0-39-2, Luke Shelton 4-0-19-1.
Top-3 Batting: Michael De Iacovo 76, Rumesh Ranasinghe 21, Pawan Thind 18.
ROUND 2
DEVON MEADOWS 8/148 (20) defeated by MERINDA PARK 6/152 (15.3)
TOSS: Devon Meadows – Bat.
Bowling first, the Cobras conceded just three boundaries in the last five overs to restrict the Panthers to a mediocre score on a fast-deck at Glover Reserve.
Rumesh Ranasinghe and Bevin Corneille claimed three wickets each with the ball, while Michael De Iacovo built the pressure with a tidy spell up front.
De Iacovo then smashed 31 off 16 balls to get the run chase off to a flyer, before Daniel McCalman played a brilliant unbeaten innings to guide his team to victory.
Wicket Takers: Rumesh Ranasinghe 4-1-15-3, Bevin Corneille 4-0-30-3, Michael De Iacovo 4-0-20-1.
Top 3 Batting: Daniel McCalman 38*, Michael De Iacovo 31, Rumesh Ranasinghe 22.
ROUND 3
CARDINIA 4/130 (20) defeated by MERINDA PARK 3/133 (17.5)
TOSS: Cardinia – Bat.
Taking wickets proved difficult for the Cobras in the first half of this match, but the bowlers hung tough to make inroads through the middle stages.
Michael De Iacovo made the initial breakthrough, before Rumesh Ranasinghe bowled superbly to make it three consecutive three-wicket hauls.
Two significant partnerships then steered the Cobras home, with Ranasinghe sharing stands of 51 and 75 with Bevin Corneille and Cambell Bryan respectively.
Wicket Takers: Rumesh Ranasinghe 4-0-16-3, Michael De Iacovo 4-0-25-1.
Top 3 Batting: Rumesh Ranasinghe 58*, Bevin Corneille 34, Cambell Bryan 26*.
SEMI-FINAL
MERINDA PARK 7/155 (20) defeated PAKENHAM 6/152 (20)
TOSS: Pakenham – Bat.
What a win! The Cobras kept their collective nerve after Pakenham opener Chris Smith (47) hit six fours and one six from his first 13 balls to threaten a severe onslaught.
Rumesh Ranasinghe claimed another three-wicket haul, while the mid-innings spell of Cobras’ skipper Mat Campbell was brilliant in the circumstances.
The Lions had the Cobras 3/24 in reply when Luke Shelton walked to the crease…who remained unbeaten on 66 from 46 balls
Liam Bertrand chimed in perfectly, before Campbell hit a four off the last ball of the match to get the Cobras home in a thriller.
Wicket Takers: Rumesh Ranasinghe 4-0-25-3, Mat Campbell 4-0-21-2, Bevin Corneille 3-0-21-1.
Top 3 Batting: Luke Shelton 66*, Liam Bertrand 25, Bevin Corneille 15.
STATS STARS
BATTING: Michael De Iacovo 113 runs (65 balls), Rumesh Ranasinghe 110 (86), Bevin Corneille 73 (65), Luke Shelton 71 (53), Daniel McCalman 60 (63).
BOWLING: Rumesh Ranasinghe 12/69 (4.31 Economy), Bevin Corneille 6/104 (6.93).
