Drought-breaking premiership win would 'mean a lot to this cricket club'

Riverside captain Peter New said the Blues were chasing their first premiership since 1980-81 and he is playing his 150th first-grade match.

Meanwhile, the Shamrocks are chasing a three-peat after defeating Launceston the past two Cricket North seasons.

They are also aiming to complete the season treble of winning the one-day, Twenty20 and two-day flags, a feat they achieved two summers ago.

And not that it will be front of mind, but some players could end up adding to their slew of two-day premierships.

Skipper Daniel Murfet said Jono Chapman was going for his eighth while Kieren Hume was chasing his seventh.

The skipper pointed to the incredible stat that Westbury have been in the past 12 of 13 grand finals.

The match, which could go for three days, starts on Friday at 11am at NTCA no. 1.

Westbury, who progressed straight through to the grand final after finishing on top of the ladder, will bring in Murfet, Sisitha Jayasinghe and Chapman who most recently played with the Greater Northern Raiders in the CTPL.

New said Riverside planned to go in unchanged from their semi-final win against South Launceston.

New said it would mean a lot for the club to break their long drought.

"It would be awesome, there are so many people at this club that have been here for a long time trying to get to this point," he said.

"And we're on the doorstep of it so if we were to get over the line over the weekend, it would mean a lot to a lot of people at this cricket club."

Murfet said achieving a three-peat would be special.

"Across that 13-year period where we've been involved in grand finals and finals series, I don't think we've ever gone three in a row," he said.

Riverside have had six teams make grand finals this season with the under-16 boys, the women's outfit and all the senior men's sides.

Riverside's pace attack looks like it could play a big role in deciding the final given they rolled South for 97 last weekend.

Teen sensation Aidan O'Connor led the charge with 6-34 but Lyndon Stubbs, Ben Hann and Sol Scott barely gave an inch.

Stubbs bowled five maidens from six overs and took 1-2.

"The beauty of our pace attack is that everyone is different, no two bowlers are the same, we've got variety with the ball swinging both ways and different paces and different plans," New said.

"I feel like teams don't get settled against our bowling line-up."

Asked about the pressure surrounding 17-year-old O'Connor, New said:

"It's just exciting for him to be able to play in a game of cricket like this," he said.

"At the end of the day, I don't have any major expectations on what he can deliver, he knows what he's capable of and we do as well.

"If he reaches that, he does, if not the beauty of him is, if he misses out with the bat he usually gets something out of the ball or vice versa so he's always in the game."

Murfet, who has played at the Raiders with O'Connor, said the youngster was an incredible talent.

He asked whether he felt his prior knowledge of O'Connor's skills would come in handy.

"Maybe," he said.

"I guess for me, Chappy (Chapman), Sisco (Jayasinghe) and Joe Griffin - they're all Westbury guys that have been around the Raiders' squad and have faced him regularly at training.

"To think we've got four guys that know what to expect is probably more than what South would have had I guess.

"But whether we take much out of that, I don't know, I don't think we do."

He said the Shamrocks wanted to do well against O'Connor and the rest of the Blues' attack.

"At the end of the day, he is another bowler, he's got some good skills but I don't think it's going to be anything that hopefully we can't negotiate well enough," he said.

While there's plenty of talk about O'Connor, you can't go past Westbury's proven match-winners.

All-rounder Kieren Hume was the hero last year with 7-33 and 3-31 from his spin.

Can he do it again?

"If you ask him, I'm sure he'll be pretty keen to replicate what happened last year," Murfet said with a smile.

"He's bowling as well as ever, he just gets better and better with his bowling.

"When he started his career he was a top-order batter/wicket-keeper."

Murfet said the prolific wicket-taker had continued to adapt his skills.

"His biggest ability is spinning the ball, I think he spins it more than any spinner in the comp and probably in the North of the state I'd say in turf cricket," he said.