Centrals take on City Colts at Wade Park in BOIDC final round

Former Centrals skipper Daryl Kennewell has enjoyed a renaissance with ball in hand for the red and blacks, having taken 22 wickets at an average of a tick over 16.

"I've just been able to play my own game. I relinquished a few jobs with the ODCA and the captaincy, so I've been able to focus just on myself," he said on his fine form.

"I'm not getting any younger so I wanted to make sure I had a good year.

"I wasn't supposed to be opening the bowling. I was bowling better with the new ball and it just happened. Cricket is a funny game, you just have to put it in the right spot."

After looking down and out a few weeks ago, Centrals now find themselves in a position where a win over City Colts on Saturday, combined with an ORC loss, will see them scrape into the fifth finals spot.

"We thought we had a good balanced side at the start of the year and it was always our plan to make sure we pushed for that top five," Kennewell said.

"Our batting performance has let us down this year, not making those crucial partnerships. At the end of the year, we put ourselves in this position. We always had the belief that we could make finals, but we needed complete and consistent performances."

Had a few close results gone their way, they may have already secured a spot in the top five. The red and blacks suffered four straight defeats from round seven to ten which included a one-run loss to ladder-leading Cavaliers, which was followed up the week after by a one-wicket loss to second place Rugby Union.

"Everyone has the ability, we've just been a bit unlucky with things that have happened in games," Kennewell added.

"Everyone is peaking at the right time, but those narrow losses really hurt. If we were sitting in sixth spot and one point behind I'd say we were in a good spot because we're peaking at the right time, but now we rely on one other result."

As it stands, City Colts (fifth) are tied with ORC (sixth) on 41 points, but Colts hold a slim quotient advantage. Centrals sit in seventh on 36. But with six points on offer for a win and none handed out for a loss, it won't take much for the red and blacks to squeak in.

"We all look at our phones in the change of innings to see how things are going, or if we're batting first, people keep an eye on things," the star bowler said when asked if his side would be monitoring the ORC game throughout the day.

"But we really need to focus on what we need to control and that's our own game. Even if ORC win, all we can do is put our best performance on the paddock for the last game of the year."

Should Centrals get the right results and finish in fifth, they would take on Orange City in an elimination semi-final the week after.

Kennewell rates their odds, should they get the opportunity.

"If we did make it in, our chances are pretty good," he said.

"That one run loss was against Cavaliers, so we're not far off any of the teams, it's just about putting those consistent performances together. It's about whoever brings their A game on the day."

The match will take place at Wade Park on Saturday.

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