Arch-rivals to do battle in Twenty20 grand

GOLDEN Square and Eaglehawk will tonight battle it out to be the first team engraved on the Bendigo District Cricket Association’s The Advertiser Twenty20 Shield.The two clubs, which boast one of the great rivalries in the BDCA, will clash in the grand final of what is the BDCA’s inaugural Twenty20 competition from 7pm at the Queen Elizabeth Oval. Both teams have won three games to qualify for tonight’s grand final. Golden Square won its way into the grand final with victories over Strathfieldsaye, Strathdale-Maristians and Bendigo United.Eaglehawk qualified for the grand final with wins over Sandhurst, Strathfieldsaye and Kangaroo Flat.“This is another competition and like Eaglehawk, we are wanting to win it, so we will be playing our best side,” Golden Square coach Brad O’Shea said.The Golden Square side won’t include the BDCA’s leading run-scorer, Phil Hetherington, who made a match-winning 149 against Kangaroo Flat last Saturday.“Phil hasn’t played in any of the other Twenty20 games, so it’s probably a little unfair that he comes into the grand final to take someone else’s place who has been playing,” O’Shea said.“And not saying that Phil is slow or anything like that, but the Twenty20 is probably more of a younger man’s game.”The sole change to the Golden Square side that defeated Bendigo United by two wickets in the semi-final at Harry Trott Oval is 17-year-old Dale Lowry coming in for David Hickman.“Dale has been playing in our third XI and has pushed his way in with his batting, plus he is an excellent fielder,” O’Shea said.While Golden Square will start favourites tonight, Eaglehawk enters the game with the player of the tournament in its side.All-rounder Andrew Smith has been the standout player of the tournament, making 141 runs and taking four wickets. Behind Smith, the next highest run-scorer in the tournament has been one of his opponents tonight, Golden Square opener Scott Johnson, who has made 87.“To win a flag at this time of the year would be good for the confidence of the boys,” Eaglehawk skipper Matt Fitt said.“The Twenty20 competition has been great over the past six weeks and it has created a lot of interest, so we have really enjoyed it.“It would be nice to finish it off with one more win.”From the side that defeated Kangaroo Flat by 10 runs in the semi-final at Dower Park two weeks ago, the Hawks have lost opening bowler Kallen Geary, who is playing in the Marist Cricket Carnival in Perth this week, but regained exciting top-order batsman Andrew Bourne. As part of tonight’s game any spectator who catches a six will win $50 donated by Perrow’s Paint.The Advertiser Shield Twenty20 tournament stats: Leading run-scorers: 141 Andrew Smith (Eh).87 Scott Johnson (GS).86 Cory Jacobs (Eh).74 Matt White (Eh).70 Brent Hamblin (KF).Leading wicket-takers:6 Brad Perrow (GS). Leg 3 5 Miggy Podosky (BU).5 Marcus McKern (GS).5 Shannon Waters (GS).5 Andrew Biggs (S’saye).Highest team totals:8-194 Strathdale (v White Hills, week one).7-187 Kangaroo Flat (v Bendigo, week one).5-161 Eaglehawk (v Strathfieldsaye, quarter-final).7-160 White Hills (v Strathdale, week one).7-153 Strathfieldsaye (v Eaglehawk, quarter-final).