It is Burnside’s third final in as many years after winning the trophy in 2022 but losing to Old Boys Collegians last season.
Captain Matt Hay said the team isn’t worrying about what happened last year.
"We’ve got quite a young group and guys are just really excited, more so about this weekend rather than worrying too much about last year.
"Just excited to be in the final again, have it at home, looking forward, I suppose, rather than looking back."
Hay said it was a big bonus for the team.
“The guys really enjoy playing at Burnside because it probably is the biggest ground on the circuit too so, yeah, it’s nice to be at home.
“We’ve got a good club, obviously good facilities and it’s just nice to be in a familiar place, and for our members and stuff to come down and watch and enjoy Burnside Park.”
Burnside beat Lancaster Park in the 2022 final, but Park captain Angus Hamilton said there is no bad blood.
“It’s not really something we speak about too much with the group, I guess.
“You never really need any extra motivation for a final, but I guess it’d definitely be nice to be going back.”
Hamilton was there when Lancaster Park last won the competition in 2019 and played in the 2022 final loss.
He said he would try to help less experienced players who hadn’t played finals before.
“Just trying to pass on to the younger guys not to shy away from the occasion.
“It’s obviously a pressure-filled match and it can be easy to get overwhelmed by it a bit and go into your shell.”
Lancaster Park beat Burnside when the two teams met in round-robin and Hamilton said they could take confidence from that result.
“It was a pretty tight game and I guess probably the last couple of times before that we’ve gotten into a similar situation and not been able to get across the line, like in the final a couple of years ago.”
Both teams respect each other’s quality.
Said Hamilton: “They’ve (Burnside) got a really strong side - they’re really well balanced.
“They’ve got good seamers, good spin options, especially in one-day cricket, and they bat pretty deep.
“So you’re always aware, even if they’re sitting right down there, you’ve still got to stay on the ball to make sure you knock them off.”
Hay heaped praise on Lancaster Park as well.
“They’ve got some match-winners through their line-up and are a very good competitive side,” he said.
“You know that they’re always up for a contest and a fight, so I think it’s going be a really, really good tough game on Sunday.”
- The first ball at Burnside Park will be bowled at 10.30am.
Burnside West Uni veteran Carl Huyser has become only the second person to play 300 premier matches for the club.
Huyser last week joined former fast bowler Scott Inglis who took the most wickets for Burnside in their history with 614, including best figures of 9/49.
Huyser signed up with Burnside in 2008 after moving to Christchurch from South Africa and has become their third-highest run-scorer behind Jack Kerr and Brian Hastings.
He assisted the team in winning three trophies - the 50-over competition in 2018 and 2022 and the two-day competition last year.
When asked about his achievements, he downplayed them.
“For me, the things that are special are more the friendships you make and the connections and the people you play with,” he said.
Under Huyser’s captaincy in 2018 the club won their first trophy in 27 years, claiming the one-day competition.
He was captain from 2017-2021. Last year he helped the team to their first two-day title since 1991.
Huyser said these were the most special moments from his 16 seasons at Burnside.
“I think that meant a lot to me and to the club,” he said.
Huyser now coaches the premier team, as well as opening the batting, and says he loves giving back to the club.
“When I came fresh off the boat, the club certainly helped me find my belonging in New Zealand and just find a community.
“I still feel like I’m giving back to the club because the club’s given me so much, for sure.”
