Central Park, Waaia bullish heading into Cricket Shepparton one-day decider

Waaia Recreation Reserve will be the backdrop to this season’s one-day final on Sunday morning after the Bombers went 6-0 in their 45-over affairs, while Central Park took all five of its one-day fixtures.

The win-loss record only tells part of the story for Waaia, which stumbled over two long-eliminated sides in Old Students and Karramomus to begin the season.

A pair of one-wicket victories in those games — one of which came in chasing — 98 to win — hardly instilled confidence in a dominant one-day campaign.

Nonetheless, winning is what Mitch Cleeland’s side found a way to accomplish again and again, typically with much greater success when batting first.

Reinhardt Engler stamped his authority as one of Cricket Shepparton’s most dangerous limited-over hitters this season.

The South African import put up 316 runs at 52.67 in one-day games, including a 98 in his last outing against Katandra.

Cleeland will naturally expect a fair outing from the man who’s put up such impressive numbers.

“He’s certainly suited to the format, not that he hasn’t been going well in the two-day as well,” Cleeland said.

“Every team has a best batsman and he could be ours.

“If he misses out we’re confident we have enough guys to pull us to a decent score or get us over the line.”

Cleeland also had to address the opening fortnight’s difficulties that could have made for a much different story.

“We were very slow to start,” Cleeland said.

“Our aim was just to get through with a couple of wins and we did that, albeit not convincingly.

“We ironed stuff out as it went on and got everything in order.

“We have enough guys to do jobs with both bat and ball and the true test of that is how we go Sunday.

“We won’t be overconfident, though.”

Central Park’s bowling has served as its most potent asset across the season, which has also rung true in the one-day realm.

Each of the Tigers’ five one-day victories have come batting second as a testament to Tyler Larkin’s men playing to their strengths.

Not that they had planned this from the outset, mind you.

“It was a bit of luck both ways; sometimes we wanted to bowl first, but I would just lose the toss,” Larkin said.

“It’s probably good for us to know we have won these games chasing targets.

“It was our toughest assessment against Nagambie a couple of weeks ago, but we were able to do it.

“It gives us confidence, but in saying that, it hasn’t been a game plan.”

One-day cricket is the only one of Cricket Shepparton’s three formats that Waaia and Central Park have not contested this season.

The Bombers put up a two-day drubbing in round 10 before the Tigers got revenge in the T20 tournament semi-finals.

With a potential treble still on the table there is plenty of reason to go in optimistic for Larkin’s side.

“I’ve got a lot of belief in our side. We’ve been a strong side that’s made a lot of finals over the years,” Larkin said.

“We’ve missed that cherry on top, but we’re extremely hungry and have a lot of confidence.

“Rhiley (Lau) and Jack (McCarten) have been doing a good job up the top of the order of late, so hopefully they can set it up.”