ORANGE CYMS have taken out the minor premiership in the Orange District Cricket Association first grade competition.

The final round of the ODCA was washed out on the weekend, meaning the ODCA table remained unchanged from round 14.

Cavaliers finished in second place, while Orange City and Waratahs round out the top four.

After making last year’s grand final, Centrals missed out on the 2009-10 finals, along with Kinross Wolaroi School.

Table-topping CYMS, who finished 14 points clear of seven-time defending premiers Cavaliers on 92 points, have no doubt been the team to beat all season.

Key batsman Dave Neil believes their early-season form has them in a good position for an assault on the main prize.

“We won something like nine in a row. We were flying at one stage,” Neil said

“I’m pretty confident we can carry that early form in to the finals series.”

However, without captain Jake Sands, CYMS have struggled to beat sides in the last month of the season, drawing three matches and losing one.

“I’m not too sure what happened in the last month, though,” Neil said.

“Jake Sands went away and we capitulated a bit.”

“We got bowled out pretty cheaply each time. He has batted well throughout the year and we definitely missed that when he wasn’t there.”

Along with Sands’ impressive form with the bat, Neil claims a firing bowling attack of Todd Barrow, John Dickson and Al Dhatt have helped place the CYMS outfit into the commanding position they find themselves in going into this year’s ODCA finals series.

But Neil is under no illusions about the tough competition ahead.

“Cavaliers are a pretty good side. If we’re to go anywhere in the finals then we’ll have to knuckle down and bat and bowl really well,” he said.

With Sands back, the CYMS line-up looks a far more complete package going into their tough major semi against Cavaliers at Wade Park.

In the minor semi-final, third-placed Orange City take on fourth-placed Waratahs at the Orange Ex-Services Country Club Oval.

The two-day matches will be played this Saturday and Sunday.