THE three-pronged left-arm pace attack of Orange City or the sheer brutality of Stu Middleton’s cricket?
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Tougher to pick than a broken nose, isn’t it?
Picking one over the other is nearly as tough as it is trying to work out how to combat both, and the men who have been at the forefront of doing just that throughout the 2013-14 summer are at pains to try and predict a winner.
Preferring to split hairs ahead of the biggest game of the 2013-14 season, the four Orange District Cricket Association first grade captains forced to watch this year’s decider believe a toss of the coin will decider this year’s big one.
“It’ll be a lot closer than most people think,” CYMS skipper Hugh Le Lievre said.
“Cavs have the best batting line-up in town and Orange City have the best bowling line-up, but I’ll go with Cavs, particularly if it’s a shortened game with rain.”
Short or long form cricket, Cavaliers have meant business this season.
Pulverised in round one by Cavs, Tahs seamer Adam Brakenridge couldn’t go past “the best all-round side we’ve played this season” when coming up with a winner, even if skipper Richie Venner will miss the grand final.
“Richie being out is a big blow but blokes like Stu Middleton, when they’re on their day they’re impossible to stop. You’ve just got to hope they’re not on their day,” Brakenridge said.
Middleton has scored 435 runs at a touch under 50 this season.
Add 26 wickets at an average of 12 and you’ve got the best all-rounder in Western Zone firing throughout the entire season.
“Cavs have the best batting line-up in town and Orange City have the best bowling line-up, but I’ll go with Cavs, particularly if it’s a shortened game with rain"
- Orange CYMS captain HUGH LE LIEVRE
But City left-arm quicks Jackson Coote, Ed Morrish and Braden Riles have struck up quite a record, with 53 wickets combined this summer.
Kinross’ Andrew Litchfield said based on past experience and bowling arsenal, Orange City will be victors.
“City’s bowling attack is fantastic but Cavs have done a great job building a youthful side around those experienced players, and I think they may start to see the benefit of that this weekend,” Litchfield said.
On the end of another brutal Cavs win last weekend, Centrals have had the “game taken away” from them by the likes of Venner and Middleton regularly in season 2013-14, but with the former out this weekend, red and blacks skipper Jake Pauletto was tipping the Warriors.
“Cavaliers have been too good each time we’ve played them but I hear Richie is out so I’ll have to lean towards City,” Pauletto said.
“City’s bowling has been sound all year.”
