On the charge: Eastern Hill captain Seamus Feery is out to lead his side to back-to-back titles.
Photo by
Meg Saultry
After a long and gruelling Seymour District Cricket Association summer, it all comes down to this weekend.
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Eastern Hill takes on Tallarook in what looms to be a captivating and riveting A-grade grand final between the competition’s top two outfits.
It is a battle between ladder leader and second, one that has been played out three times already this campaign.
The Rooks are out to continue on their 2-1 season advantage against the reigning premier, while Eastern Hill will be seeking to exact revenge for its recent loss to its rival in round 18.
The rivalry will be renewed on Saturday, more than three weeks since Tallarook’s incredible one-run win.
However, the narrow victory was not enough for the Rooks to leapfrog Eastern Hill and they were left to battle it out against Broadford at the weekend in the semi-final.
It was all one-way traffic with Tallarook pencilling in a comfortable 100-run victory.
Tallarook captain Lachy Watts said it was a stellar all-round performance from his outfit, one where the top-order fired with the bat and the bowlers executed with the ball.
Watts steered the ship with a standout knock of 76 from 91 deliveries, while Kasey Duncan provided class support with 40 runs off 55.
Leading the way: Tallarook captain Lachlan Watts.
Photo by
Meg Saultry
The bowling was set up by spearheads Leigh Irving (3-32) and Kalon Winnell (3-20).
“We probably set it up with our batting, which was really pleasing,” Watts said.
“The top-order did their job which was really good and to have the bowlers back it up was fantastic.”
The end result catapulted Tallarook into this weekend’s decider, an achievement that has surprised and elevated the atmosphere at the club.
Watts said it had been a monumental effort from everyone involved at the club to get the Rooks to where they find themselves this week.
“We’re pretty stoked as a club, especially when you consider we have two sides reach the grand final,” he said.
“It’s really hard to believe, to be honest, after what the club went through last season, where we struggled on the field and struggled to get one side up let alone two.
“Andy Dundon (coach) has done the hard work to get the troops together.”
With Eastern Hill standing in the way of Tallarook returning to the pinnacle of the SDCA, Watts said his side understood the task at hand.
Eastern Hill’s fearsome bowling attack of Fraser Lewis, Ben Bryant, Jake Sutherland and co will be out to lead the charge against Watts and his top-order batters.
“We’ve had three close games against them and no doubt this week will be the same, but hopefully it goes in our favour,” he said.
“They are a great bowling side and have got five guys who can do damage with the ball and it’s always hard to score against them.
“Grand finals are funny games and they are hard to predict, but hopefully we’ll lean on our experience.”
Speaking last week during his side’s week off, Eastern Hill captain Seamus Feery said his outfit would be wary of any side it was to come up against.
“We’ve had some real good matches against Tallarook this season and if they are the ones (to face in the grand final), we’d expect another tight one,” Feery said.
The grand final location was yet to be locked in as of Tuesday morning.
There is also plenty of action in the lower grades this weekend as sides battle it out for silverware.
In B-grade it is Tallarook up against Pyalong after the two outfits defeated Eastern Hill and Broadford respectively in the semi-finals.
In C-grade, Avenel will face Yea following the Tigers’ thrilling win over Pyalong.
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