GREYTOWN will be aiming to make a clean sweep of the three major trophies in Wairarapa Cricket's senior men's competitions when they confront Masterton Red Star in the final of the Bidwill Cup at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton tomorrow and Sunday.
The southerners already have the The Rock Twenty20 and Umpires Cup 50-over prizes in safe keeping and their consistency ensures they will start favourite to complete the hat-trick this weekend, notwithstanding that the last time these two teams met Masterton Red Star came out on top.
Having said that the chances of Masterton Red Star pulling off another upset win will clearly be helped by reports that experienced campaigners Seth Rance and Paul Lyttle will be missing from the Greytown line-up.
Rance has been battling injury problems which have kept him out of the Central Stags pace attack in the last couple of Plunket Shield games but he is such an accomplished batsman at club level that he would have clearly helped the Greytown cause in that department while Lyttle is one of those batsmen who can quickly change the balance of a game with his power hitting in the middle order. And he is a competent wicketkeeper to boot.
Without those two, and possibly regular opener Jake Ross, Greytown's batting certainly has a more fragile look. They will be looking for last weekend's century-maker Robbie Speers along with skipper Gordon Riesima, Tim Boyer, Jackson Kibblewhite and Daniel Ingham to lead the way and it will be important at least a couple of them fire on all cylinders.
On the bowling front it will be medium pacers Ingham and Anthony Butterfield who will carry most of the burden for Greytown while the shine is on the ball although with Brian James they have a back-up who has a habit of breaking dangerous partnerships with his ability to maintain a steady line and length. Look too for Reisima to make an impact with his slower deliveries.
Masterton Red Star have been something of a revelation after a slow start to the season and much of their success has been due to the wicket-taking capabilities of opening bowlers Peter Sigvertsen and Jared Watt. By any standards they could hardly be called quick but they have both been around long enough to understand the importance of forcing the batsmen to play every ball.
Tane Workman is a third medium pacer capable of doing a good job for Masterton Red Star and then, of course, there is Dean van Deventer, whose influence with the new ball is probably second only to Rance on the club scene when they are in full flight. Injury has kept him away from the bowling crease but what a boon it would be for Masterton Red Star should be able to put down even a few overs this weekend.
Whatever his influence as a bowler though van Deventer will definitely be the prize wicket for the Greytown attack. He has been in grand form with the bat through most of this season and is always a potential match winner. His main support is likely to come from Troy Burling and Daniel Stonely.
The Bidwill Cup final will start at 10.30am on both days.