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READ MORE - BDCA, EVCA weekend finals teams
EAGLEHAWK will ride a wave of momentum into Saturday's Bendigo District Cricket Association preliminary final against Kangaroo Flat at the QEO.
Coming off an upset victory over Huntly-North Epsom in last Saturday night's elimination final, the Hawks are now just one win away from a grand final berth that had looked well beyond them when they were still two games out of the top four with two rounds to play.
However, they fought their way into the top four with wins over White Hills and Sandhurst and then emerged from a dramatic rain-affected start to the finals last Saturday against the Power to keep their season alive.
"I'm a big believer that you make your own luck and over the past month we're starting to get a bit of reward for our effort," Eaglehawk captain Cory Jacobs said on Friday.
"We've got momentum and we're confident, so we're looking forward to having a crack against a really good team this week."
The Hawks lost both their home and away games against the Roos.
Their second tussle in round 12 went down to the last over before the Roos won by three wickets, while Kangaroo Flat's winning margin in round three was a comfortable six wickets.
The Hawks will take an unchanged line-up from last week into Saturday, with their attack featuring Jacobs, Aaron Monro and Richard Tibbett, who between them have combined for 34 wickets in the past six games, while hard-hitting all-rounder Nick Farley shapes as an X-factor.
Rain denied Kangaroo Flat its shot at taking the direct route through to the grand final last week when its qualifying final against Strathdale-Maristians was washed out.
The Roos had posted a competitive 9-162 before the Suns' innings lasted just one over.
Along with Strathdale-Maristians, the Roos have been one of the two standout teams of the season, but there is now no safety net as they strive to reach their first grand final since 2007-08.
"All the boys are really keen, especially the few of us who have played at the club for a few years now," Roos captain Chris Barber said.
"To get to this position, we want to give ourselves a really good crack of getting through to the grand final and playing on the big stage where it matters."
Like the Hawks, the Roos' strength lies in their bowling. No player in the competition has taken more than Brent Hamblin's 32 wickets, while Lewis Stabler and Adam Burns are both front-line bowlers with match-winning capabilities.
However, the Hawks have handled the gun trio well.
In their two games against Eaglehawk so far Hamblin, Stabler and Burns have combined for only four wickets - all taken by Hamblin.
Saturday's preliminary final starts at noon.
THE TEAMS:
Kangaroo Flat - Adam Burns, Kenny Beith, Brent Hamblin, Nathan Stubbings, Jake Klemm, Dylan Klemm, Nathan Newlan, Daniel Barber, Chris Barber, Riley Burns, Matt Dwyer, Lewis Stabler, Josh Collinson.
Eaglehawk - Cory Jacobs (c), Josh Williams, Aaron Monro, Richard Tibbett, Matt Fitt, Nash Viney, Ben Williams, Nick Farley, Angus Chisholm, Russell Stockdale, Brendan Archbold.
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Second XI - Strathdale-Maristians v Strathfieldsaye at Bell Oval.
Third XI - White Hills v Strathfieldsaye at Scott Street.
Under-18 - Bendigo v Strathfieldsaye at QEO (6pm tonight)
Fourth XI - Bendigo v Huntly-North Epsom at Shadforth Park.
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