If ever there was a case of COVID-19-induced unfinished business, this is it.
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In a magnificently fortuitous quirk of the opening-round ACT Premier cricket draw this weekend, Western District-UC has been pitted against Weston Creek Molonglo following last season's non grand final which crowned the former as champions without a ball being bowled.
Both teams won through convincingly to the decider in mid-March. Just days later Canberra community sport shut down as the world was thrust into a viral pandemic, and Wests were handed the title having finished on top of the ladder.
The premiers are desperate to win the title in a more traditional fashion this season, while Creek are simply asking for another shot to prove they should be the one reigning supreme.
"Considering our form leading into the final, we were very very very disappointed," Creek wicketkeeper Josh Low-McMahon said.
"We're definitely chomping at the bit to get back out there especially against Wests to try and set the record straight, and bragging rights.
"It turned out precautions that were taken were for good reason, as we now see. At the end of the day it is a game of cricket and we'll definitely be looking this season to make up for some lost time."
Creek have had the most stable off-season in terms of player movement, with no major changes to their squad.
Wests have lost Blake MacDonald and Josh Staines but are otherwise relatively unchanged which leg spinner Michael Minns said was partly due to last season's non grand final.
"It's probably kept a few guys around for an extra year not being able to play the grand final at the back end of last year," Minns said.
"Without stitching too many blokes up we've got a bit of an ageing list now. Your Joe Cookes and Ethan Bartletts of the world are not getting any younger.
"For us it's a great opportunity to come back as a team again and I guess try and defend our position from last year, finishing on top of the ladder's not easy to do. While we didn't get to play the final, for us we still felt like we had such a successful year as a club."
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Wests enjoyed a record-breaking season last summer finishing on top of all five men's grades and claiming a staggering 11 premierships.
Tuggeranong Valley are shaping as the big movers this season, having recruited Staines from the premiers, plus classy duo Angus Jones and Lewis Evans from ANU.
"They seem to have recruited really well, especially with some really good young players," Minns said.
"Ginninderra won two years ago, they were probably by their own admission a bit down last year, but we'd expect them to come back firing."
Low-McMahon was also expecting a strong challenge from across the border.
"Queanbeyan were a very good side last year," he said.
ACT Premier Cricket round one:
Weston Creek Molonglo v Western District-University of Canberra, Stirling Oval, 11am
Queanbeyan v North Canberra-Gungahlin, Freebody Oval, 11am
Ginninderra v Eastlake, Kippax, 11am
Tuggeranong Valley v ANU, Chisholm Oval, 11am
CRICKET A.C.T. 2020-21 COMINGS AND GOINGS
A.N.U.
Captain: Daniel Leerdam
Players in: Chris Zhang
Players out: Angus Jones, Lewis Evans, Will Todd
Player to watch: Hanno Jacobs
EASTLAKE
Captain: Vusi Sibanda
Players in: Tom Keller, Andrew Glover, Archie Wearne
Players out: Paul O'Malveney
Player to watch: Tom Henry
GINNINDERRA
Captain: Rhys Healy
Players in: Nil
Players out: Josh Watling
Player to watch: Brad Thomas
NORTH CANBERRA-GUNGAHLIN
Captain: Grant Forrest
Players in: Labib Mahmud, Shehan De Silva, Ryan Emmerick, Asef Attique, Ankur Siwach
Players out: Esam Rahman, Andrew Glover, Assad Vala, Kiplin Doriga, Angus Tarpey
Player to watch: Ryan Emmerick
QUEANBEYAN
Captain: Mark Solway
Players in: Will Todd, Esam Rahman
Players out: Tom Kellar
Player to watch: Tyler Van Luin
TUGGERANONG VALLEY
Captain: Blake Ivery
Players in: Josh Staines, Lewis Evans, Angus Jones
Players out: Tom Vane Tempest
Player to watch: Michael Barrington-Smith
WESTERN DISTRICT-U.C.
Captain: Joe Cooke
Players in: Luke Powell
Players out: Josh Staines, Blake MacDonald
Player to watch: Scott Murn
WESTON CREEK MOLONGLO
Captain: John Rogers
Players in: None
Players out: None
Player to watch: Robbie Trickett
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
