BRING IT ON: CYMS’ Chris Novak (left) and Orange City's Jono Warren prepare for this weekend's ODCA first grade cricket grand final. Photo: NICK McGRATH 0322nmodca3
IN the green and gold corner you’ve got the most consistent side throughout the Orange District Cricket Association first grade season, fresh and raring to go following a month off.
In the green and white corner there’s a team that hasn’t “set the world on fire”, but one that’s now match hardened following a preliminary final bout the likes of which would give any cricket side plenty of confidence coming out the other end as winners.
CYMS versus Orange City - two ODCA heavyweights that haven’t tasted success in the top grade since 1983-84 and 1998-99 respectively.
It’s a grand final fitting of the 2012-13 season.
A year where sides have had to contend with byes - sometimes sitting teams out for one week, others two - and the odd wash out at the least opportune time.
Given that, the month-long break shouldn’t worry CYMS.
Normally it wouldn’t.
But watching on as Orange City played some of the best cricket the squad has mustered throughout 2012-13 in knocking out Cavaliers last weekend, CYMS skipper Trent Colley admits to feeling a little uneasy ahead of a clash he predicted to be a “tight two-day contest.”
“It’s not ideal, I’ll be honest about that,” Colley said of his side’s end to the year.
“But as a group we’ve been pretty proactive in ensuring our bowlers maintain the miles in the legs and, as a batting group, continuing to work hard in the nets.
“The club hasn’t won a premiership since 1984 and that’s the year I was born. They’ve been in grand finals and seen opportunities come and go and this is just another opportunity for us to do well and put our best foot forward.”
The NSW Bushies batsman believes he has the bowlers to get the job done.
With a frontline attack boasting Chris Novak, Sam Dwyer, Al Dhatt and Hugh Le Leivre, few could argue the point.
But how much of an advantage is bowling in an actual game?
Massive, if you ask City skipper Dave Boundy.
“You’re mind isn’t switched on at training as much as it is in a game. You’ve got to perform from ball one in a match. It doesn’t matter if you get out in the nets,” the experienced all-rounder said.
He added with the Royal Hotel Cup under his side’s belt, the hunger for more was there.
“To be brutally honest we probably haven’t set the world on fire this year. We’ve lost more games than any other side that made the top three,” Boundy said.
“But we’ve built as the season’s gone on and the boys are fighting for each other.
“Some of us won’t be here next year and we’ve been trying to win with this group for some time now. We’re hungry and the boys realise what it takes to win now.”
The ODCA first grade grand final begins from 12.30pm today at Wade Park.
It will resume tomorrow from 11am.
ORANGE CITY: Matt Findlay, Andy McIntyre, James Conn, Shaun Grenfell, Ben Nexhip, Lincoln Duncan, Dave Boundy (c), Stuart Naden, Jono Warren, Andrew Rutledge, Ed Morrish.
CYMS: Trent Colley (c), Josh Sands, Dave Neil, Luke Clarke, Dean Turner, Nick Wright, Hugh Le Leivre, Hamish Finlayson, Sam Dwyer, Al Dhatt, Chris Novak.