3rd Grade Final Preview

3rd Grade Final
Kiama Cavaliers Vs Lake Illawarra Lakers
Bonaira Street Oval
With the job done last weekend, and done well with a thrashing of the experienced Albion Park team, all attention turns to this weekend, and the final of the 3rd Grade competition between Kiama and Lake Illawarra.
Lake Illawarra will be a similar proposition for the Kiama side as Albion Park were. Both are heavily experienced teams, both have won the 3rd Grade premiership in recent seasons, and both have – or had – every reason to believe that they could beat Kiama in a final, given the Club's record in the past decade in such matches. Both teams rely on steady bowling and explosive batting. Albion Park was not prepared for the steely determination that now rests in this Kiama team, nor the belief that they are the best team in the competition, nor the raw aggression of the youth that has arrived, or the importance of the veterans that have continued. One wonders if Lake Illawarra know of the storm that is about to hit them.

The teams met once this season, at beautiful Morley Park, in a match that Kiama has tried to forget since it finished. Lake Illawarra batted first, and were in some trouble at 6/50 in their first innings before a seventh wicket partnership of 131 between two of the Clark clan got them to safety, and a final score of 230. Kiama, though fielding a weakened team, and certainly nothing like the side that will show up this weekend, should have done much better, and were quickly and decisively bowled out twice in quick order for just 71 and 91, losing by an innings and plenty. At the time, it was a setback of incalculable proportions. As it turned out, it was probably just the tonic that was required.

Playing the final at Bonaira Street Oval should provide Kiama with some sort of advantage. It will certainly be decisive in light of the fact that Kiama has not lost at the grand old ground this season.
Winning the toss and batting is an advantage that was proven in the semi-final, and will be important again. A score on the board – any score – is a bonus, especially in 3rd Grade cricket.
Last season, Albion Park made 176 in the first innings of the semi-final, and won comfortably. Two seasons ago, Albion Park made 215 in the first innings of the semi-final, and won by 46 runs. Three seasons ago, at Bonaira Street, Oak Flats made 150 in the first innings of the semi-final, and won by 46 runs. Four seasons ago, Albion Park scored almost 200 in the first innings of the semi-final, and won comfortably.
I think I may have made my point. It's not the be-all and end-all of the match, but in Kiama's recent history, it has proven to be pretty bloody important.

The semi-final showed up Kiama's strengths and weaknesses well. Joe and Tom look to get the team off to a quick start, mainly as Joe will not play any other way but attack the ball that is full. From that point, assuming the opening partnership is successful, the innings is set up for the likes of Simon, Jeff, Luke, Andy and Russell to play their natural games, and progress the total along at their own pace. Anything between 150 and 200 will be a good score. Anything over 200, and it is almost game over.
The strength of Luke, Matt, Nathan, Russell and Rob with the ball is probably the key to this match. They need to fire from the outset, as they did against Albion Park. By obliterating the top order, they can strangle to the flow of the Lake runs, and let them get themselves out going for outrageous shots to break their hold.

Despite the result of their match in November, Kiama will start this game as favourite. The teams have changed since that contest, Kiama's to massive improvement. The match will be in Kiama, and there is likely to be the biggest crowd ever seen at a cricket match in the town for decades. More than likely, most of Lake Illawarra's supporters will be at the the First Grade final, leaving their 3rd Graders to fight the battle alone.

This match will not be a blowout. The Lake side are very experienced, and will not be overawed by the occasion, or the Kiama supporters. They have won premierships before. Having said that however, they will not have the youth aspect in their side that Kiama will, which will be charging down doors to get into this final and smash it wide open on the first day. Though the veterans have played in so many finals games and will as such have an edge, this match will be won by the kids – Tommy Mayes, Matt Cook, Luke Bombaci, Nathan Simpson, Andy Sheehy. They will win it because they want to win it so much, and their enthusiasm will set the standard that this final will be played at.

This is the 34th time the 3rd Grade competition has been fought out in the South Coast District Cricket Association... and Kiama's time has come. By Sunday night, Kiama's name will be inscribed on that trophy after a famous victory. Get out there and watch it, and be a part of it.

Vital Statistics

Joe Murphy3rd Grade 2005-06 – 165 runs at 23.57. HS 51*.
3rd Grade Career – 1040 runs at 18.57. HS 80. 10 wickets at 7.00. BB 2/1.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra - 174 runs at 21.75. HS 77.

Tom Mayes
3rd Grade 2005-06 – 294 runs at 24.50. HS 63. 6 wickets at 17.50. BB 4/40.
3rd Grade Career – 294 runs at 24.50. HS 63. 6 wickets at 17.50. BB 4/40.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – n/a

Simon Pearson3rd Grade 2005-06 – 241 runs at 17.21. HS 100.
3rd Grade Career – 1361 runs at 21.27. HS 100. 27 wickets at 14.63. BB 4/15.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 72 runs at 72.00. HS 69*. 6 wickets at 6.33. BB 4/15.

Jeff Lawler
3rd Grade 2005-06 – 375 runs at 25.00. HS 75.
3rd Grade Career – 1311 runs at 24.74. HS 89.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 111 runs at 18.50. HS 55.

Andrew Sheehy3rd Grade 2005-06 – 122 runs at 8.33. HS 33. 2 wickets at 24.50. BB 1/11.
3rd Grade Career – 1025 runs at 11.92. HS 64. 20 wickets at 25.00. BB 3/7.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 101 runs at 16.83. HS 40. 1 wicket at 44.00. BB 1/44.

Luke Bombaci3rd Grade 2005-06 – 385 runs at 35.00. HS 65*. 40 wickets at 9.15. BB 5/16.
3rd Grade Career – 1560 runs at 18.80. HS 67. 119 wickets at 14.53. BB 6/31.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 84 runs at 12.00. HS 41. 10 wickets at 18.40. BB 5/55.

Russell Park3rd Grade 2005-06 – 192 runs at 64.00. HS 54*. 26 wickets at 12.12. BB 6/36.
3rd Grade Career – 1525 runs at 25.00. HS 105*. 185 wickets at 15.70. BB 6/7.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 150 runs at 37.50. HS 56*. 5 wickets at 23.60. BB 2/10.

Nathan Simpson
3rd Grade 2005-06 – 75 runs at 12.50. HS 41. 17 wickets at 13.18. BB 6/61.
3rd Grade Career – 181 runs at 13.92. HS 41. 45 wickets at 10.51. BB 7/34 (incl hat trick).
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – n/a

Rob Wakeham
3rd Grade 2005-06 – 111 runs at 9.25. HS 53*. 22 wickets at 18.41. BB 4/9.
3rd Grade Career – 366 runs at 7.62. HS 53*. 76 wickets at 19.46. BB 5/42.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 130 runs at 21.67. HS 53*. 11 wickets at 15.73. BB 5/42.

Jason Horley3rd Grade 2005-06 – 111 runs at 10.09. HS 27*. 5 wickets at 19.80. BB 1/5.
3rd Grade Career – 168 runs at 8.40. HS 27*. 14 wickets at 19.29. BB 2/12.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 27 runs at 13.50. HS 18*. 1 wicket at 52.00. BB 1/5.

Matt Cook3rd Grade 2005-06 – 82 runs at 11.71. HS 56*. 30 wickets at 10.70. BB 4/24.
3rd Grade Career - 82 runs at 11.71. HS 56*. 30 wickets at 10.70. BB 4/24.
3rd Grade Career vs Lake Illawarra – 5 runs at 5.00. HS 5. 2 wickets at 11.50. BB 2/23.