ADCA 2025-26: Big guns set for battle as Royals prepare to tackle Manypeaks with grand final slot at stake

The big guns of the Albany and Districts Cricket Association A-grade meet in the competition’s qualifying final with Royals and Manypeaks preparing to do battle with a grand final berth at stake. While the ladder’s top two face-off on Turf North in the blockbuster final, the other game at Turf South on Saturday pits Mt Barker against Collingwood Park in the elimination contest. While the season will end for either Park or the Bulls, the winner of that clash will progress to tackle the qualifying final loser on Sunday for the second grand final spot. The Lions hit form at the right time to swoop ahead of the pack, winning 10 of their last 12 outings in the regular season to overhaul long-time leaders Peaks at the death. They have also found runs in the process, racking up the only 300-plus score of the season so far when they walloped Railways in round 16. Those bonus points were key in taking them up the ladder although their last one-day outing against Saturday’s opponents ended in defeat as they fell 30 runs short of Peaks’ 6-243, despite Matt France smashing 104 in the chase. The good news for the Lions is that France will be back in action for the qualifying final after missing two games through injury and will pose a threat with both bat and ball. With Ryley Valli, Teague Valli and Leighton Smith also in form, the Lions’ batting runs deep. Skipper Mitch Green welcomed the all-round effort which has seen his team peak at the right time, though he was wary of Peaks’ middle-order firepower. “We have had a good run-up to the final and we have had a spread of runs from both the top and middle of the order,” he said. “We’ve had especially valuable runs from the middle order, but our consistency has meant we’ve not had to rely on one person, it has been shared throughout the team. “We respect Manypeaks greatly; they play hard and with consistency. “It’s been close each time we’ve played but we will back our game and our bowling.” Peaks go into the clash on the back of a loss to Mt Barker in their final outing of the regular campaign. “That defeat was a reality check, but it came at the right time,” skipper Seb Stanton said. “It was close between us, Royals and Mt Barker and we all had wins against each other, but it was the lack of bonus points which probably cost us in the end.” He will hope key middle-order man Ryan Kinnear is back in the fray while Kane Pinney is always a threat with bat and ball. Stanton said the Peaks approach would not differ just because the game is a final. “Nothing will change; we’ve been really clear all season about us having our own brand and it’s a brand which kept us top of the ladder for most of the year.” The grand final showpiece takes place on Saturday, March 21.