Query as teams gear for finale
Ahuge question mark hovers over the availability of Homers all-rounder Chris Hopper as familiar grand final foes Homers and Rupanyup-minyip draw swords for yet another Horsham Cricket Association A Grade finale.
The Homers captain is recovering from an appendix operation, and while missing the Pigeons’ exciting semi-final win at the weekend, patrolled the boundary with vigor, suggesting he might slip back into the whites for the season climax.
The grand final action, on Saturday and Sunday this week, will start at 11am at Horsham City Oval in what shapes as an intense finish to the season.
Reigning premier Rupanyup-minyip has had to claw its way back into form to win a place in the final, while Homers have needed outstanding individual performances to live up to expectations.
In semi-final action last week, Rupanyup-minyip successfully defended 207 against Horsham Saints, while Homers, led by all-rounder Jarred Combe, tracked down a Jung Tigers target of 225 to win at the death knock.
In a tense struggle at Dudley Cornell Park, Rupanyup-minyip scrambled to 207 on Saturday after looking in all sorts of trouble at 7-140.
Half centuries to Adam Carter, 52, and Paul Morgan, 62, provided a critical buffer and enough to apply pressure to the Saints, who had to survive overs at the end of the day.
The Blue Panthers captured the critical wicket of Justtin Combe in the twilight of stumps and went on with the job the following day, dismissing their rivals for 144.
Top performances included fourwicket hauls to Clinton Midgley and Paul Morgan for the Blue Panthers and Matt Combe and Tony Caccaviello for the Saints.
Clint King also offered stout resistance for the Saints, hitting a lowerorder 57.
Spectators were on the edge of their seats in a riveting clash between Homers and Jung Tigers.
The Tigers, led by a rearguard bat- ting effort from veterans Steve Leith, 70, and Marty Knight, 37, after early runs to Angus Adams, 46, clipped 9-225 in a Saturday recovery from 6-90.
The Tigers then applied pressure the next day through workhorse offspinner Jake Mclean, who extracted considerable turn in a marathon effort that eventually snared him 5-81.
But the ultimate highlight of the day was a gritty unbeaten century to Jarred Combe who, batting throughout his innings on the edge of potential success or disaster, made a match-winning and unbeaten 118.
It was appropriate that Combe, who found the boundary 13 times during his knock, hit the winning runs with only six overs to spare.
The grand final will be between glaringly different line-ups.
The Blue Panthers are loaded with enigmatic but mercurial players and the Pigeons boast a powerhouse batting top order.
Bowling attacks from both sides will be under considerable pressure on what is likely to be a batsmanfriendly wicket.
Players to watch are likely to include the Blue Panthers’ Paul Morgan, possibly playing in his last A Grade final, Carter and Travis Hair and Combe, Lachie Jones, Simon Hopper and Sandy Hodge for the Pigeons.