Like for like as opener ruled out

ONE opening batsman who has recovered from a calf issue is set to replace a fellow opener who went down with the same injury, as Inverleigh focuses on an elusive BPCA A2 flag.

Reliable batsman Shaun Haberfield went down early in the Kookaburras’ innings on Saturday, immediately feeling for his calf.

Haberfield (pictured) tried to continue on before retiring hurt and was on crutches on Sunday, ruling him out of the grand final against Winchelsea this weekend.

Inverleigh coach Nick Platt said the injury was “awful”, but a ready-made replacement was in the wings, with Nathan Pisani likely to step back in.

Pisani hasn’t played Agrade since Round 13 as he dealt with his own calf complaint, but he batted in Inverleigh’s B2 semifinal defeat on Saturday and made eight.

“(Haberfield) can hardly walk, the poor bastard, that’s unfortunately season done for him, just as he was hitting some form … I feel so bad for him,” Platt said.

The probable HaberfieldPisani swap is the only likely change for Inverleigh.

A plan to bowl on a fifthstump line helped the Kookaburras rout Armstrong Creek for just 57 to claim a 91-run win in Saturday’s semi-final.

Platt led the way with 5-8, figures he claimed were “well overdue — I have had a pretty average season to be honest”.

Winning through to the decider gives Inverleigh a chance for redemption after losing the grand final in 2018-19 and bowing out in the semi-final last summer, despite finishing on top of the ladder.

But Platt said past disappointments weren’t on their minds before Saturday’s clash.

“We have tried not to think too much about the past, you can get a little bit caught up with what has happened in previous seasons and that can build up pressure,” he said.

“We haven’t referred to last year or the year before at all and it’s probably not something we are going to talk about this week either.”