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Sport

7 December, 2023

Crows look to secure grand final spot

Beaufort will be out to secure a spot in the one-day grand final when they take on Maryborough at Princes Park tomorrow. When one considers that the Crows have not played a single home game so far this season, it’s been a sensational effort to get...

By Michael Thompson

Mitch McClure took this terrific catch against the fence in Maryborough’s last meeting with Beaufort and he’ll look to be in the thick of the action again tomorrow. Photo: 081223 07
Mitch McClure took this terrific catch against the fence in Maryborough’s last meeting with Beaufort and he’ll look to be in the thick of the action again tomorrow. Photo: 081223 07

Beaufort will be out to secure a spot in the one-day grand final when they take on Maryborough at Princes Park tomorrow.

When one considers that the Crows have not played a single home game so far this season, it’s been a sensational effort to get to this position, and are very much in the box seat, given their positive quotient record against Clunes — the only team that can deny them a fairytale spot.

Certainly, they will be backing themselves to repeat their round five result against the Owls, when they were able to hold off for long enough to take the win by 14 runs.

However, since that game, Maryborough have improved, particularly in the batting department, and will be a dangerous opponent.

The Owls, notably, now have five batsmen who are able to put the score on the board at a consistent clip this season.

They’ll be relying on Tom Hart’s availability on Saturday, having been their top scorer this year, while Mitch McClure has also been solid. Add in Ben Hoban, who is averaging 35, Logan Kirkwood, who is averaging 23, and a welcome return in recent weeks from Martin Dell, and the Owls’ top and middle order look extremely solid.

However, the Owls need to be firing with the ball, having failed to bowl out their opponents at any stage this season.

Granted, player unavailability, as well as regularly having to re-jig their bowling lineup, has hampered them at times.

Still, there’s been enough promise from the likes of Jasper Trickey, who has taken nine wickets, while Jacob Glen has done his job holding up an end this season.

Add in Jackson Goodwin, who has taken four wickets in his last two games, and there’s a bit more of a sense of normality in the Owls’ best bowling lineup.

They will need to be at their best, with Beaufort showing a tendency to be able to slow down the run rate.

Jay English has continued to lead the way as he has for a large portion of the season, and that has come despite being unable to take the field in three of the last four weeks.

Between he and Lachlan Oddie, the two have combined for 23 wickets, while both have done so at an outstanding economy rate, with English conceding 4.4 runs an over, and Oddie three — the best in the competition of those that have bowled 20 or more overs this season.

Add in Blake Jantzen, who has been excellent with the ball during the one-day competition with seven wickets, and Beaufort can attack the game with some confidence.

It’s a similar story with the bat.

Oddie has been superb this season in scoring 258 runs, while Jack Smith’s 146 has been a great help. Kriss Ellis, who scored a terrific 50 in their last meeting with the Owls, has also been a good option with the bat, and scored another 50 in their last game three weeks ago against Carisbrook.

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