The Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield one-day final arrives at last this Sunday, following a tight race which saw four clubs in contention heading into the final round of 45-over clashes.
Yes, Waaia could have advanced by making something like 400 without loss and winning by an absurd margin plus other results falling its way, but that wasn’t being taken seriously.
Another contending outfit in Nagambie had the power to put that complex scenario to bed in an instant with victory over the Bombers in one of Saturday’s two early starts.
The knowledge at that time was that the Lakers were in, but there was a wait in store for the other results to see who would meet them — or whether they would qualify to play the final at home in first or travel in second.
Once players around the region were back in the sheds, Nagambie and Central Park-St Brendan’s — in that order — were the two left standing.
The Tigers punched their ticket with an almighty emphasis, beating Numurkah — who had gone into the round atop the one-day table — by over 100 runs in the realm’s northern reaches to advance as the second seed.
How appropriate it is that Central Park, a side with just one blemish on its name in league competition this season, should face off in a final with the Nagambie side which serves as the one in 9-1.
The difference this time around is that the Deakin Reserve tenants will come in relatively fresh, enjoying a bye in the penultimate Haisman round, while Nagambie takes on Numurkah in the first half of a two-dayer Saturday.
It was all the way back in round two that the red and black outfit, led by the four wickets of Brayden Biggs on his favoured home track, upended the Tigers in a three-wicket win.
For that reason, Central Park skipper Tyler Larkin — whose side came up short in two finals last season, including the one-day comp — takes nothing lightly.
“We’ve had a chat at our training about the game,” Larkin said.
“Nagambie’s a good side, and they’re even better at home.
“We feel like we’ve been building up to this for a few years, so hopefully we can all put our best foot forward and get a result.
“They’ve got some really good players with the likes of Mitch (Winter-Irving) and ‘Barney’ Nolan, so we’re wary of those guys, and Brayden cleaned us up last time, so we’ve factored that into it this time around.
“We’re better for having played down there earlier in the season, and we have to go into this game fully prepared.”
On the flip-side, Lakers leader Zac Winter-Irving maintains that the bowling state of play will be pivotal.
“We’re very happy to be in the final, and to have it at home is a huge bonus,” Winter-Irving said.
“As a bowling collective, we’ll be looking to expose them, though they line up as a really good batting team.
“We have to open up that middle order and not let partnerships build. It’s one of the better middle orders in the comp, if not the best, so that’ll be a key point to try and get them cheaply like last time.
“On the day, we’ll see what happens but if we bat or bowl, I don’t think it will affect too much.
“We’ll stick to our formats, and we won’t go away from what we know this year.”
It’s not the only front on which the Tigers will be competing come Sunday, though.
The Clyde Young Shield will also crown its one-day champions up north at the Numurkah Showgrounds where the Blues will welcome Central Park’s B-graders.
Similarly to the A-grade decider, the B-grade affair pits the yellow and black against a side which had its number in league competition earlier this season.
Numurkah will take quite some stopping regardless, though, as the only side to qualify for either grand final undefeated in the one-day format.
