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A LOOK at Strathdale-Maristians ahead of this weekend’s Bendigo District Cricket Association grand final against Sandhurst at the Queen Elizabeth Oval.
THE SEASON
The season started off shakily when the Suns were bowled out for 135 in a one-day loss to Kangaroo Flat in the opening round.
Four rounds into the season the Suns were 2-2 and sixth on the ladder, but since then haven’t lost a game and have sat on top of the ladder from round six onwards, with the last five of those matches wins by a total of 337 runs.
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THE HISTORY
The Suns are lining up in their eighth grand final in the past 10 seasons.
They lost the first two of those grand finals to Golden Square (2009) and Bendigo United (2010), but have since won their past five.
This weekend’s grand final team features eight players who have played in multiple Suns’ flags – captain Ben DeAraugo (5), former skipper Linton Jacobs (5), Ryan Haythorpe (5), Cameron Taylor (4), Jacob DeAraugo (4), Nick Baker (3), Jack Neylon (2) and Sam Johnston (2).
That’s a total of 30 flags.
James Vlaeminck, Dylan Bailie and Daniel Clohesy get the chance to join the premiership club this weekend.
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THE BATTING:
The Suns have been renowned throughout their dominance of the competition for the best part of a decade for their deep batting line-up.
And that depth has proved pivotal late in the season when the top-order has struggled, yet the Suns have still been able to post winning scores.
The Suns were 4-45 in their semi-final against Bendigo last weekend; 6-68 against Kangaroo Flat the previous game; and 4-63 against Bendigo United the game before that.
The strength in the Suns’ batting line-up is highlighted by four scores of more than 300 for the season – including 312 against grand final opponents Sandhurst in round four, yet it wasn’t enough to win.
Captain Ben DeAraugo (463) and young opener James Vlaeminck (421) have both topped the 400-run mark, with DeAraugo opening his season with two centuries in his first three innings.
The hard-hitting Sam Johnston (357) has been in good form late in the season, while there were positive signs for Cameron Taylor (269) last week with his 64 in the semi-final win over Bendigo.
Those four players, along with five-time premiership captain Linton Jacobs (327), Jack Neylon (327) and Nick Baker (72), who has endured an injury-interrupted season, form the nucleus of the Suns’ batting line-up.
Batting statistics:
Runs per wicket – 27.99
Run-rate – 3.98
Balls per wicket – 42.23
Centuries – 2
50s – 15 Ducks – 9
Season batting rank – 2nd
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THE BOWLING:
The Suns’ bowling has been led by another ripper season by Cameron Taylor – the only player in the BDCA to have taken more than 30 wickets this summer.
The leg-spinner has claimed 37 wickets, although Sandhurst got a hold of him in round four when he finished with 1-101.
Taylor spun the Suns to victory against Eaglehawk late on day two in their last grand final win two years ago with 5-65 and took 4-61 last weekend against Bendigo.
Taylor is the chief tweaker in the side, but the Suns can also throw the ball to James Vlaeminck (11), Jack Neylon (6) and Ben DeAraugo (1) if the QEO wicket is spinning.
Key all-rounder Sam Johnston (25) and Jacob DeAraugo (19) will open the bowling, while the Suns also have medium-pacers Ryan Haythorpe (10) and Dylan Bailie (9) as part of their bowling unit.
Bowling statistics:
Runs per wicket – 19.46
Maiden % – 22.53%
Economy rate – 2.73
Strike rate – 42.05
Season bowling rank – 2nd
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CAPTAIN’S COMMENTS:
BEN DEARAUGO
On the Suns returning to the grand final stage a year after the disappointment of a semi-final belting from Eaglehawk.
“One of the strengths of our playing group, and it’s something that our coach David Bakes spoke about when he joined the club, is how driven and self-motivated all the players are.
“As captain I’m hugely lucky to have a group that is so driven underneath me… the players drive a lot of the training and playing standards themselves, which is great.
“That drive has never dropped off for us over the past few years. Not having had a good end to the season last year, we’ve been really keen to atone for that and, so far, we’ve played pretty well.”
On the benefit of having the experience of eight multiple premiership players in the team this weekend.
“That’s another strength of our team… having that experience in pressure situations in not only finals, but also throughout the year as well.
One of the strengths of our playing group, and it’s something that our coach David Bakes spoke about when he joined the club, is how driven and self-motivated all the players are
- Ben DeAraugo - Strathdale-Maristians captain
“We’ve had plenty of pressure situations throughout the year where lots of different players have stood up in different times, which is really encouraging for me as a leader to know I can trust any of those players in any situation to stand up when required.
“While Sandhurst as a team doesn’t have that same finals experience, they have players who have played all around Victoria, and some all around the world, who have no doubt played in pressure situations as well.”
On what he is most wary of in preparing to face Sandhurst.
“We’re both very similar teams in that we have a lot of depth in batting and bowling.
“We both have right and left-hand combinations with our batting and in bowling we both have medium-pacers and spinners, so both teams are fairly evenly matched.
“Their depth is certainly a factor we’re concerned about. This game is going to be over 170 overs and we can’t afford to drop off for any periods of time.”
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THE TEAM:
BEN DeARAUGO (c)
Runs: 463 Avr: 46.30
HS: 130 v Golden Square
100s: 2 50s: 2
Wkts: 1 Avr: 35.00
BB: 1-28 v Sandhurst
Econ: 2.33 Strike: 90.00
Fielding: 13 dismissals
Rank points: 613
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DYLAN BAILIE
Runs: 88 Avr: 14.67
HS: 38 v Golden Square
Wkts: 9 Avr: 30.22
BB: 3-21 v White Hills
Econ: 3.44 Strike: 52.67
Fielding: 3 dismissals
Rank points: 303
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NICK BAKER
Runs: 72 Avr: 12.00
HS: 41 v Kangaroo Flat
Fielding: 1 dismissal
Rank points: 82
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DANIEL CLOHESY
Runs: 156 Avr: 17.33
HS: 50 v Bendigo United
50s: 1
Wkts: 1 Avr: 32.00
BB: 1-11 v Golden Square
Econ: 3.56 Strike: 54.00
Fielding: 5 dismissals
Rank points: 231
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JACOB DeARAUGO
Runs: 134 Avr: 26.80
HS: 33 v Kangaroo Flat
Wkts: 19 Avr: 18.05
BB: 5-58 v Sandhurst
Econ: 3.04 Strike: 35.68
5 wicket innings: 1
Fielding: 6 dismissals
Rank points: 574
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RYAN HAYTHORPE
Runs: 25 Avr: 25.00
HS: 14 v Bendigo United
Wkts: 10 Avr: 21.90
BB: 3-4 v White Hills
Econ: 2.74 Strike: 48.00
Fielding: 5 dismissals
Rank points: 280
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LINTON JACOBS
Runs: 327 Avr: 27.25
HS: 86 v Sandhurst
50s: 2
Fielding: 19 dismissals
Rank points: 527
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SAM JOHNSTON
Runs: 357 Avr: 35.70
HS: 99 v Kangaroo Flat
50s: 4
Wkts: 25 Avr: 19.52
BB: 6-38 v Huntly-North
Econ: 2.40 Strike: 48.72
5 wicket innings: 2
Fielding: 4 dismissals
Rank points: 907
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JACK NEYLON
Runs: 317 Avr: 26.42
HS: 71 v Bendigo
50s: 1
Wkts: 6 Avr: 14.33
BB: 6-76 v Bendigo United
Econ: 3.44 Strike: 25.00
5 wicket innings: 1
Fielding: 7 dismissals
Rank points: 507
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CAMERON TAYLOR
Runs: 269 Avr: 24.45
HS: 64 v Bendigo
50s: 2
Wkts: 37 Avr: 16.70
BB: 8-55 v Strathfieldsaye
Econ: 2.29 Strike: 43.78
5 wicket innings: 2
Fielding: 1 dismissal
Rank points: 1019
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JAMES VLAEMINCK
Runs: 421 Avr: 32.38
HS: 78 v Huntly-North
50s: 2
Wkts: 11 Avr: 22.09
BB: 4-56 v Bendigo United
Econ: 2.64 Strike: 50.18
Fielding: 10 dismissals
Rank points: 746
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- Rank points –
- 1 run = 1 point;
- 1 wicket = 20 points;
- 1 catch = 10 points;
- 1 run out/stumping = 15 points.
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SELECTIONS:
LUKE WEST: Strathdale-Maristians – toss of the coin, but history shows you don’t tip against this core group of Suns’ players on grand final weekend. Should be a ripper of a game.
Taylor-Walsh Medal – Cameron Taylor (SM).
ADAM BOURKE: Strathdale-Maristians – the Suns’ top-shelf players have made a habit of performing on the big stage.
Taylor-Walsh Medal – Sam Johnston (SM).