ensuring their Merrin Cup clash with the Coota Hotel was well and truly over well before the field for this year’s Cox Plate was being loaded into the stalls.

Having dismissed the Coota Hotel for just 77, no one at the ground could have predicted what was about to happen.

Opening the Harden run chase with Matt Stewart, who has recently returned from a stint overseas, Pollard made it a one man wrecking mission.

Taking strike for the first time for the first ball of Grant Miller’s over, the second of the innings, Pollard smashed 20 runs while he blasted 13 off Miller’s next over to literally blow the Coota Hotel ace out of the attack.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the replacement bowlers weren’t spared either with Matt Forsyth having 13 taken from his one and only over and David Edwards 18 from just five balls as Pollard wrapped up the run chase in the space of eight overs.

When the dust had settled, Pollard remained unbeaten on 68 meaning he scored all but 12 of the 80 runs Harden posted in reply, representing a staggering 85 per cent.

His runs, which included five sixes and four fours, came from just 27 deliveries giving him a phenomenal strike rate of 252.

While Pollard was the logical choice for best-on-ground and the subsequent three points in the Cricketer of the Year, he wasn’t the only Harden player to shine.

With the ball Rob Barron proved just how crucial he’ll be to the twin-town team’s chances this summer, Barron capturing 4-19 off eight overs.

Operating in tandem with Jarrod Sharman, who has continued on from his fine season last summer, the pair had the Coota Hotel at 3-22 after four overs before a 28-run stand between Grant Miller and Nathan McGowan gave the home side some hope of a competitive score.

However, it was Barron who brought the

partnership to an end, having Miller caught for 14 with the last ball of his sixth over and then removing Nathan Corby (0) and McGowan (21) in subsequent overs.

Sharman chimed in with 2-26 off four overs, while Simon Doolan, who reportedly wasn’t going to be sighted as regularly this season,

managed 3-8 off just 2.2 overs.