Coro Cougars take on Exies Diggers in GDCA first grade preliminary final

Coro fell in the qualifying final and will be looking to secure a chance of redemption against Hanwood, while Exies Diggers were able to easily overcome Leagues in the elimination final.

The batting from Coro should plenty of spirit and fight, in particular, Tim Rand and captain Haydn Pascoe feels the longer format of two-day cricket suits his style.

"He isn't a real aggressive batsman; he is more of a bloke that likes to stick around," he said.

"It definitely suits his style and not only him but a few of the other boys in the middle and lower order as well."

Brent Lawrence was one to provide a steady head at the top of the order and will be looking to replicate that performance this weekend while Mathew Axtill will look to make more of an impact after falling cheaply against Hanwood.

The Cougars will be boosted by the return of Brendan Hicken and Alex Flood.

The return of Flood is a huge inclusion for a bowling attack that had to get through a mountain of work against Hanwood.

"He (Flood) has been up there with Benny (Signor) as one of our best bowlers all year," he said.

"Bowling 77 overs last weekend and not having one of your best bowlers in the team makes it hard. So he is a big in for us."

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With Diggers possessing dangerous batters like Mick Duncan, Dean Bennett and Trevor Richards, the return of Flood is a well-timed inclusion after he hurt his groin in the later rounds of the regular season.

While the result didn't go the way Pascoe wanted, there were plenty of positives to take from the loss to Hanwood.

"I was happy with the way that we batted," he said.

"We batted the majority of our overs, and a lot of blokes really applied themselves, and they didn't just go out there and blast away.

"It wasn't the worst-case scenario for us like we didn't go out and get skittled, and we were able to make a game of it.

"If we can try to replicate that and have a few more things fall our way, there were a few balls that didn't go to hand."

In what has been an interrupted season, the Cougars and Diggers have only faced off once in the regular season, which was won by Coro, while they were able able to take the one-day final in a nail-biter against the Diggers side.

The first ball on day one will be delivered at 1.30pm.

In second grade, Exies Eagles will face off with Hanwood at Exies No 2.

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