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A LOOK at Sandhurst ahead of this weekend’s Bendigo District Cricket Association grand final against Strathdale-Maristians at the QEO.
THE SEASON
The ladder showed Sandhurst finished in second position in what was the Dragons return to the finals for the first time since 2011, and only second since 1987.
However, had the Dragons not been stripped of six points for a bowling infringement against Kangaroo Flat in round three, they would have claimed top spot – three points ahead of Strathdale-Maristians.
The Dragons go into the grand final with just one loss for the season by 14 runs to White Hills in round three.
Their record includes inflicting one of only two losses on the Suns when they won by 58 runs in round four, giving the Dragons a 2-0 record in their past two meetings against Strathdale-Maristians, having also beaten them last season.
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THE HISTORY
No club is experiencing a longer first XI premiership drought in the BDCA than what Sandhurst is.
The Dragons have won 10 flags – the last of which was a distant 39 years ago when they defeated Eaglehawk by 147 runs to claim back-to-back flags having beaten Bendigo a year earlier.
Captain John Turner’s Dragons had been rank underdogs going into the ’79 grand final. Sandhurst had finished the season fourth, while the Hawks were unbeaten.
So long ago was the last premiership, of this weekend’s grand final team, only captain Craig Howard – who turned five the following day – was alive when the Dragons last won a grand final.
The last premiership photo of a Sandhurst team featured skipper Turner, Jim Ford, Garry Madden, Greg Evans, Morrie Hesse, Fred Trewartha, Glenn Court, Ross McGauchie, Alan Thomson, Barry Ayres, Barry Jane, Max Ellis, Robert Court, Bob Boxshall (coach) and Alan Thomson Sr (president).
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THE BATTING:
The Dragons are the Addy’s No.1 ranked batting team this season.
They have compiled four totals above 300, scored 262 batting first in the pressure of a semi-final last week, and are aggressive, with their season run-rate of 4.15 the best in the competition.
The Dragons are also ranked No.1 for runs scored per wicket (30.5) and scores over 50 made by players (19).
Sandhurst’s top three run-scorers are all new players to the club this season – keeper-batsman Nayana Palamandadige (771), who hasn’t been dismissed for anything under 10 in his 15 innings, Ash Gray (430) and Sam de Silva (385), who between them have combined for 1586 runs.
Classy opener Palamandadige is the competition’s highest run-scorer, with his season including three centuries, while the explosive Gray has menaced attacks with five scores above 50 in the middle-order.
Coach Taylor Beard (325), captain Craig Howard (304), Australian under-17 representative Todd Murphy (284) and veteran Shane Robinson (239) all add to a stacked batting line-up that will feature youngster Darby Semmens (186) opening with Palamandadige.
Gray and Beard are both coming off semi-final half-centuries last week that steadied the Dragons’ innings after they had been at a potentially precarious 5-102 against Golden Square.
Strathdale-Maristians won’t need any reminding of the depth the Dragons boast in their batting line-up. When the two sides met in round four Sandhurst turned what had been a score of 8-285 into a final tally of 9-370.
Batting statistics:
Runs per wicket – 30.50
Run-rate – 4.15
Balls per wicket – 44.07
Centuries – 3
50s – 16 Ducks – 11
Season batting rank: 1st
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THE BOWLING:
“Spin to win” – it’s a saying Sandhurst captain Craig Howard has been renowned for and it’s what stands out when looking at the Dragons’ bowling unit.
The Dragons have four off-spinners in their line-up – Howard (26 wickets), Todd Murphy (16), left-armer Sam Sperling (16) and Sam de Silva (3) – which has made for some early finishes to days this season with Sandhurst’s ability to get through its overs quickly.
As well as the spin quartet, which shapes as a handful for the Suns should the Dragons bowl on a wearing day two wicket, first-year coach Taylor Beard (28) and up-and-comers Will Keck (20) – whose family is synonymous with Sandhurst – and Nick Gladman (11) will provide the pace.
Beard has been a workhorse this season, bowling 215 overs, which has been surpassed by only Strathdale’s Cameron Taylor (270), while Keck has been in fine form in the second half of the season with 15 wickets in his past four games, including four in the gripping semi-final win over Golden Square.
Bowling statistics:
Runs per wicket – 20.98
Maiden % – 20.24%
Economy rate – 3.28
Strike rate – 38.53
Season bowling rank: 3rd
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CAPTAIN’S COMMENTS:
CRAIG HOWARD
On the excitement of Sandhurst playing in its first grand final for almost 40 years.
“Exciting is the word to use, especially after last week (one-run win over Golden Square). The feeling around the rooms was amazing and everyone is just excited about the challenge.
“It’s looking a little skeptical from a weather point of view, but hopefully, it holds out and if it does it should be a cracking match.”
On going into a grand final off the back of a pressure-cooker one-run semi-final win over Golden Square last weekend.
“Our past four or five games have been very similar with that finals-type pressure because we had to win games to try to secure a top two spot.
“There has certainly been a lot of pressure over the past few weeks and we’ve managed to dig deep when it has mattered and get across the line when it has probably looked beyond us at times.
“We’ve stuck tight and to what we know best and, hopefully, that will hold us in good stead for the grand final.”
It’s just a great opportunity for us as a club to come up against a side that has been there and done that
- Craig Howard - Sandhurst captain
On taking on Strathdale-Maristians – the team Howard previously captained and played in three flags with.
“They are a great club and one that I hold very dear to my heart. I’ve had some great times there and got really good mates there as well, but come Saturday that will all go out the window.
“They wouldn’t have it any other way and I would’t have it any other way either.
“It’s just a great opportunity for us as a club to come up against a side that has been there and done that and it’s a test we are looking forward to standing up to.”
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THE TEAM:
CRAIG HOWARD (c)
Runs: 304 Avr: 25.33
HS: 95 v White Hills
50s: 2
Wkts: 26 Avr: 16.88
BB: 7-26 v Strathfieldsaye
Econ: 2.93 Strike: 34.62
5 wicket innings: 1
Fielding: 1 dismissal
Rank points: 834
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TAYLOR BEARD
Runs: 325 Avr: 29.55
HS: 58 v Golden Square
50s: 2
Wkts: 28 Avr: 23.00
BB: 6-24 v Huntly-North
Econ: 3.00 Strike: 46.07
5 wicket innings: 2
Fielding: 10 dismissals
Rank points: 985
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SAM DE SILVA
Runs: 385 Avr: 29.62
HS: 86 v Strathdale
50s: 2
Wkts: 3 Avr: 63.67
BB: 2-15 v Bendigo United
Econ: 3.75 Strike: 102.00
Fielding: 5 dismissals
Rank points: 500
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NICK GLADMAN
Runs: 39 Avr: 39.00
HS: 24* v Strathdale
Wkts: 11 Avr: 22.45
BB: 3-37 v Golden Square
Econ: 3.13 Strike: 43.09
Fielding: 2 dismissals
Rank points: 284
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ASH GRAY
Runs: 430 Avr: 39.09
HS: 65 v Strathdale
50s: 5
Fielding: 11 dismissals
Rank points: 545
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WILL KECK
Runs: 56 Avr: 18.67
HS: 40* v Strathdale
Wkts: 20 Avr: 19.35
BB: 4-37 v Bendigo
Econ: 3.65 Strike: 31.80
Fielding: 6 dismissals
Rank points: 516
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TODD MURPHY
Runs: 284 Avr: 25.82
HS: 86 v Kangaroo Flat
50s: 1
Wkts: 16 Avr: 19.44
BB: 3-14 v Bendigo United
Econ: 3.11 Strike: 37.50
Fielding: 5 dismissals
Rank points: 659
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NAYANA
PALAMANDADIGE
Runs: 771 Avr: 55.07
HS: 132 v Bendigo United
100s: 3 50s: 3
Fielding: 16 dismissals
Rank points: 941
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SHANE ROBINSON
Runs: 239 Avr: 39.83
HS: 72* v Strathfieldsaye
50s: 1
Fielding: 4 dismissals
Rank points: 279
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DARBY SEMMENS
Runs: 186 Avr: 15.50
HS: 35 v White Hills
Wkts: 0 Avr: NA
BB: 0-15 v Strathdale
Econ: 4.38 Strike: NA
Fielding: 5 dismissals
Rank points: 241
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SAM SPERLING
Runs: 47 Avr: 7.83
HS: 13 v Eaglehawk
Wkts: 16 Avr: 19.88
BB: 4-12 v Eaglehawk
Econ: 3.06 Strike: 39.00
Fielding: 5
Rank points: 422
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- Rank points –
- 1 run = 1 point;
- 1 wicket = 20 points;
- 1 catch = 10 points;
- 1 run out/stumping = 15 points.