One season, one premiership – the perfect way to start at a new club.
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That’s the prospect for boom Cavaliers recruit Ryan Kurtz too, but of course he and his side have two more steps to take, starting with this weekend’s Orange District Cricket Association preliminary final.
Cavaliers, the defending champions, take on CYMS in the second-versus-third play-off for the right to face minor premiers Orange City in the grand final, this weekend’s sudden-death clash happens to be a rematch of last year’s decider too.
It will continue Cavaliers and CYMS’ long post-season rivalry too, not that Kurtz knows much about that having joined the maroons midway through the season.
“I was down in Wollongong but I’ve moved here for uni. When I was younger I played a bit of rep stuff with (Cavaliers skipper) Matt Corben, so I flicked him a message and he said come have a run,” Kurtz explained.
“It’s been great, Cavaliers are a great bunch of blokes, very welcoming, and we’re quite young too. I’ve actually enjoyed being one of the older guys, even though I’m only 21.
“I’ve been able to play a role with the bat and ball and I’m really looking forward to doing that again this weekend, hopefully.
“I don’t know much about CYMS, but I think it’s about whoever makes the best of the conditions early, and we have to be positive.
“We’re in the box seat finishing second though so we only need to draw to go through, whereas CYMS really need to make something happen to win and we can try and force them to do the work.”
Although Josh Doherty has undeniably been Cavaliers’ star this year, Kurtz has been somewhat of an unsung hero, chipping in with 197 runs at 39.4 and picking up seven crucial wickets at 25.9 too.
Doherty himself has lauded Kurtz, who used to play for Sydney University, on several occasions.
“You’re only as good as your last innings though, aren’t you, and I got a duck so I’ll have to get a bit better,” Kurtz laughed.
“I think I could’ve been a bit better this year but I could’ve been worse too, so what can you do, it’s about turning up this weekend and trying to get the job done.”
The big question that’s being thrown around ODCA circles leading in, is what if Doherty – with 600 runs and 23 wickets under his belt – doesn’t fire?
Can the remainder of the Cavaliers line-up pick up the slack?
Yes, Kurtz says.
“It certainly helps when one bloke has one of those years, but I think we’re pretty well-rounded,” he said.
“Corbs has scored runs this year, Bailey (Ferguson) has made crucial runs and then guys like Harry (Pearce), Hughy (Middleton) and Alex (Wiegold) are all taking wickets, and so is Brad Wright.
“I mean, you’re definitely very much at ease when you walk out and it’s Josh at the other end.
“He’s in such a positive frame of mind and no matter what happens he’ll back you and he always backs himself to score runs, so it’s great. Then his bowling form too, he’s pretty hard to face at the moment.
“We’ll be right, we’re pretty confident going in.”
Giving the maroons more reason for confidence is the fact CYMS’ side is very different to what most might consider full-strength.
The likes of Grant Koch, Sam Dwyer, Mitch Winslade and Joel Crosswell won’t pull their baggy greens on this weekend, although, regular second graders were CYMS’ best-performed in last weekend’s final round against Kinross.
There’s two danger men Kurtz identified who will play though.
“I’ve only played them twice but Mick Hannelly made [69] in the first game and Chris Novak always seems to bowl well,” Kurtz said, Hannelly also made 98 against Cavaliers earlier this season.
Hannelly is the third leading run-scorer in the top grade with 362 at 36.2, while Novak has taken 15 wickets at 22.87.
CYMS skipper Hamish Finlayson (14 wickets at 8.64) is another obvious danger with the ball, as is Pete Gott (13 wickets at 18.46).
In fact it could be argued Finlayson is the green and golds’ biggest danger with the ball, considering his strike rate of 18.43 is the best in the competition of bowlers who’ve taken 10 or more scalps.
This weekend’s preliminary final kicks off at 1pm at Wade Park on Saturday, and continues from 11am on Sunday.
It will be officiated by Ian Findlay and Steve Warrington.
- CAVALIERS: Matt Corben ©, Josh Doherty, Bailey Ferguson, Mark Maybin, Ryan Kurtz, Harry Pearce, Wes Lummis, Hugh Middleton, Hudson Izzard, Brad Wright, Alex Wiegold, Chris Brown
- CYMS: Hamish Finlayson ©, Pete Gott, Mick Hannelly (wk), Tom West, Chris Novak, Andrew Henry, Gavin Bridge, Tom Belmonte, Adam Smith, Ed Wright, Jarrod Urza, Ben McAlpine