Claiming seven wins from seven starts, including a thumping 202-run win over Cinderella story Tatura last week, the Tigers have passed all tests with flying colours and will without doubt be there when the whips are cracking in March.
Next cab off the rank for ladder-leading Central Park is reigning grand finalist Waaia, which, after a disjointed season which includes four incomplete matches, will be eager to keep its pre-Christmas form rolling by taking a major scalp on its home deck.
It’s a match that coach Tyler Larkin and company would have without doubt had circled on the calendar; he said his side was excited to challenge itself against one of the competition’s best away from home.
“It is definitely going to be a tough game for us this week, but one we are really looking forward to test where we are at,” Larkin said.
“Waaia have been one of the best sides in the competition for a while and it is always a challenge heading up there and playing on a wicket that is a little bit different, so for us it is about focusing on what we do well, putting in a good performance and if the result goes our way great, but if not we’ll know where we need to improve.”
A feature of the Tigers’ success this season has been their ability to get off to fast starts, with skipper Brendan Scott’s mammoth 130 last week leading the way, as they piled a season-high 2-301 on the hapless Bulldogs.
Larkin said building early partnerships would be crucial in quelling arguably the competition’s best bowling attack.
“Having Scotty go big for us last week was awesome and really important to how we want to structure our batting innings, but we know that we can’t go out and expect to make 300 every game,” he said.
“It is going to be really important we get off to another good start, from all reports the wicket turns a bit, so we need to make the most of the new ball against the quicks and put them under pressure early before the spinners come on.”
A home and away season precursor to what is shaping up to a tantalising finals match-up, all eyes will be on Waaia Recreation Reserve on Saturday with the prize of being the final unbeaten side in the Haisman Shield up for grabs.
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