By Chris Anderson
WITH minimal play possible due to deplorable conditions on day two of round 11 action in the D.J. Strachan Shield, the final four teams are locked in and they are looking towards finals action.
For the first time in many years, all four sides entering the finals have fair cause to be optimistic about their chances. With one round remaining, this is how the four sides sit.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:WARBURTON-MILLGROVE
Warburton-Millgrove sit atop the ladder and look to be the form side.
With all the sides bound for finals vulnerable with the bat, the Burras go into the final round of the season on the back of three consecutive scores of greater than 300.
With an experienced and in-form top order of Scott Darwall, Liam Barnard and Mick Walker, if the Burras get off to a good start then their big hitters in Tim McKail, Brendan Woods, Luke Darwall and recruit Troy Murphy will look to put the finishing touches to their innings.
The strength in their bowling lies in their variety and consistency. The pace brigade will be led by Mick Walker, Luke Darwall and Brendan Woods who will look to restrict the opposition’s opportunities to score freely, while skilled veteran spinners Cam Darwall and Adam Humphrey will look to challenge an opposition looking to up the ante.
The Burras will be backing their big game experience to get them to the ultimate prize.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:COLDSTREAM
Coldstream has benefited from a strong recruiting campaign over the off-season and sit second on the ladder.
The Crocs have enticed many of their talented locals back to the club, and with an image change (new nickname and training facilities), they have put behind them a series of disappointing years at the bottom of the table.
New coach Danny Adams has bought with him a wealth of knowledge gained from playing with Sub-District side Bayswater.
If the Crocs find some form with the bat led by Adams, Matt Johnson, Johnny Pignataro and veterans Liam Doughty and Chris Dobson, they will be hard to keep out.
Their bowling has served them well this season led by the speed of Matthew Stark, the spinning guile of Dean Semken, and the disciplined line and length of Johnny Pignataro.
The Crocs will be keen to ride their new-found success and enthusiasm all the way to the end.
@BT Sport Sub Mail:SEVILLE
Seville rounds out the four, and the reigning premier could consider itself a little unlucky to be sitting so low.
Once again it has been the Blues’ bowling that has led the way, but the difference, and danger to opposition sides, is that they are less reliant on their blistering opening pair of Matt Tilney and Ishara Amarasinghe.
Tilney and Amarasinghe have still terrified many batting line-ups this season, but when the wickets haven’t fallen their way, former Drummond Medallist Andy Kay and captain Dean Troyhan have picked up the slack.
Like the Rovers, Seville’s batting line-up can be a bit hit or miss. With explosive batting from the likes of Tim Dwyer, John Aumann, Leigh Aitkin and Dean Troyhan, the Blues can make any attack look mediocre, but consistency is what they lack.
The form of Kay and bowler turned top-order batsman Adam Burns will be key to adding stability to the batting.
The Blues will be looking to their big guns to humble their opposition on their way to back-to-back premierships.
