Oak Flats desperate to erase 'bridesmaid' tag in final

 The Lakers beat the Rats to claim the one day title last December and Twenty20 crown last month, while also winning the minor premiership.

   No team has won the three South Coast trophies in one season, giving Lakers skipper Brendan White plenty of motivation ahead of the biggest game of the season.

  ‘‘When the boys got together for pre-season we talked about winning the three titles and what a special season that would be,’’ White said.

 ‘‘We’re one win away now but it’ll take a great performance because we have a great rivalry with  Oak Flats and they are a proud club who’d love nothing more than knocking us off.’’

Twice bridesmaids to their arch-rival in 2014-15, Oak Flats would relish winning the season’s biggest match.

‘‘It’s our 40th anniversary season so what better way to finish than to win our first premiership in a decade,’’ Oak Flats skipper Ryan Chatterton said.

  ‘‘We’ve been good enough to beat the other sides but not good enough against Lakers.

 ‘‘If we’re to win we have to make a competitive total and so far this season we haven‘t managed it.

‘‘We’ve got a bowling attack that can take wickets but we have to make enough runs to give ourselves a chance.’’

 Oak Flats should gain confidence from their having the better of Lakers in their rain-marred two-day match last month.

 The Rats bowlers did the job, dismissing Lake for 132 after they were 6-32 at one stage.

Allrounder Rob Hill took 4-47 and has continued his great form by claiming eight wickets in last weekend’s semi-final trouncing of Kiama.

  Oak Flats were on the road to victory at 4-76 against the Lakers in round nine before the second day was washed out.

 The Rats haven’t won a two-day premiership since the 2006-07 season and last year were luckless with the final against Albion Park washed out.

  In contrast the Lakers have dominated the revamped six team Premier League, with  eight victories and two draws in the 10-round campaign.

 Their only defeat in any competition was to Kiama in the opening pool match of the T20 comp, which they went on to win by  beating an under-strength Oak Flats in the final. 

The Lakers also made the semi-finals of the SCG Country Cup -  another bittersweet performance -  which left them the best team in the South Coast/Illawarra region but again missed out on the prized final at the SCG.

  Last weekend Lake crushed Albion Park in their semi-final, though for a second straight game they struggled with the bat in the first innings, with the lower order outscoring the top order.

   White says the batting of both teams will be the key to the final.

 ‘‘Batting under pressure and making runs wins finals,’’ White said.

‘‘I don’t think we’ve been batting that poorly, some of the decks haven’t been great and we haven’t made big totals but I don’t think we are far away from clicking as a side.’’

 Meanwhile, minor premiers The Rail and second-placed Gerringong are playing for promotion in the first grade grand final at Geoff Shaw Oval. 

 In the second grade final, Albion Park meet Jamberoo at Oakleigh Park, with Lake Illawarra Blue taking on Kookas in the third grade decider at Myimbarr Oval West.

  Both The Rail teams - Red and White finished first and second in Fourth Grade and meet in the final at  Myimbarr Oval East.