By Marcus Uhe
The next chapter in the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s best rivalry between Springvale South and Buckley Ridges will be written on Sunday when the two go head-to-head in a grand final replay at Alex Nelson Reserve.
From the moment the DDCA’s fixtures were released during the preseason, anticipation grew for the marquee match-up between these two, and has festered ever since the contest was initially washed-out back on 7 October.
The two have faced off on the competition’s final day in the past two seasons, with Springvale South responding from its only loss last season in the first week of finals against Buckley to flip the script on the big day, two weeks later.
Memories of their triumph on a blisteringly hot and windy day at Berwick’s Arch Brown Reserve will still be fresh in Bloods’ memories, while Buckley will be eager to extract retribution.
Springvale South has continued where last summer finished, barely troubled in their opening slate of fixtures to begin the season and sitting pretty at the top of the standings.
Chinks in Buckley’s batting armour, meanwhile, have come to the fore against Beaconsfield and Narre South.
The four meetings between the two were split 3-1 in Springvale South’s favour last year, with all three results secured with comfortable margins.
The true importance of Narre South’s trip to Berwick, meanwhile, may not come to fruition until later in the season.
Both the Lions and Bears will expect to contend for places in the final four come season’s end, and begin the weekend just three points apart.
Places may alter based on Saturday’s results but the pair will still be within striking distance of one-another.
Kyle Hardy’s return to form will bouy the Lions, while Wookey Medal winner Jeevan Mendis will return to the format that saw him crowned the best player in last season’s competition.
His spitting leg-spinners and big hitting will be of critical importance in the shorter format, and his hat-trick in the opening stages of the T20 competition suggests the relationship between he and the white Kookaburra remains as strong as ever.
Hallam Kalora Park can look to build some much-needed momentum when they face fellow semi-finalist in North Dandenong.
The Hawks comfortably handled the Maroons in the finals last season but the shorter format should suit the unpredictable Maroons more than red-ball cricket, with the chance to maximise the explosive hitting talent in Imran Laghmani, Tahsinullah Sultani and Muhammad Dawa Khan.
St Mary’s will look to prey on Beaconsfield’s vulnerability as the most recent addition to Turf 1, but the Tigers have proven they are not to be taken lightly.
Tips: SPRINGVALE SOUTH v Buckley Ridges, Berwick v NARRE SOUTH, ST MARY’S v Beaconsfield, HALLAM KALORA PARK v North Dandenong.
