The Harden Hornets side at training on Tuesday night. Photo: Tim Warren.
The Harden Hornets’ under-13 team trained on Tuesday night in preparation for this weekend’s crucial cricket semi-final against Ariah Park on Saturday morning at Tim Doolan Oval.
The crunch match between 2nd and 3rd on the ladder, starting at 8:30 am, will be a close affair as both teams finished the minor season round on the same amount of competition points (67) with the Hornets having a slightly better percentage (0.25%).
If results fall the way of the Harden side this coming weekend, they could potentially be hosting a home grand final on the 12th of March.
But it didn’t always look as though the Harden juniors would make the semi-finals after getting bowled out last week for 81 batting first against Ray White Young in round 11 of the season at Sawpit Gully.
Although a spirited bowling display from the Harden quicks knocked over the Young side for 80 within 14 overs, highlighted by a stunning caught and bowled by Jayden Steele to clinch the win by the barest of margins.
If Harden had lost last weekend’s game, they were in danger of missing the finals altogether.
Steele picked up two wickets in his three overs, as well as two each from Justin Woodhead and Isaac Brown.
Ethan Abnett starred with the bat with 27 off 54, as well as a classy knock of 20 off 32 by Jayden Steele.
Coach Dean Bourlet and Kelvin Brown were down at the Harden junior’s training session on Tuesday evening putting the boys through their paces before the big weekend clash.
The under-13 side gearing up for this weekend’s semi-final. Photo: Tim Warren.
“We had to win last week to get in the finals, so it was a close affair,” Dean said.
“The top four sides are very even. We played the top side last and just got over the line.”
Ray White was top of the ladder before defeat to Harden sent them down to fourth on the ladder, setting up a 1st vs 4th clash against top-placed Nimbus this weekend.
Dean said he will keep the sides gameplan consistent this coming weekend if luck falls their way, hoping to put runs on the board in a big final.
“We’ve usually have been batting first and then come home strong with our bowling, so I’d say that will be
our plan,” he said.
“Although, I’m not that worried if we have to chase a target because of the depth of our bat-ting to get home.”
The Harden coach was super impressed with his side’s efforts not only in last weekend’s clutch win, but all throughout the season.
“We’re pretty excited. The boys work well together as a team and those little things we do all contribute,” Dean said.
Star player Jayden Steele has been dominating the 2021/22 Blooms Chemist Under 13’s South West Slopes Cricket Association season, scoring 214 runs at an average of 35.67 with the bat and taking 13 wickets at an average of 5.85, leading the competition in both stat lines.
“He is a champion player,” Dean said.
This is Dean’s third season as coach of the Harden junior side and has inspired a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.
“The last two years we were struggling to win and then this year everyone’s sort of gelled together and the younger kids have come up,” he said.
“We could lose a few players next season due to boarding school, so it would be nice to get a chance to win the comp this year.”
Strong front-foot defence. Photo: Tim Warren.
Good luck to the Harden juniors in this weekend’s semi-finals. We hope to see you in the grand final next weekend!
Tim Warren
