The Red Caps watched East at the crease, battling to keep their season alive last week at Eastern Oval - the very venue on which they meet tomorrow for their Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts semi-final.

Wendouree captain Heath Pyke said the Hawks remained an "unknown" element for his team.

Their only encounter with the young Hawks outfit this season was in round one on a hard wicket at Russell Square.

"The side we've got and the side they've got have had a few little personnel changes and have improved during the season," Pyke said.

"They're obviously a talented side with plenty of depth to be wary of.

"They have plenty of potential match-winners in their own right, whether it's a 16 to 17-year-old cricketer or a 36 to 37-year-old."

The Red Caps have dropped only one game this season and are hungry to cap off a big summer by keeping the BCA club firsts shield to match their new Twenty20 state title.

East Ballarat captain Simon Irving said his team was relishing the chance to test their game against the competition's best in a final.

Finals cricket was what the Hawks set out to achieve from their first pre-season meeting.

They made the cut in a rollercoaster do-or-die showdown against Golden Point to book their semi-final spot.

A chance to face the likes of Wendouree, Irving said, was what they played cricket for.

Experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Rieniets' return will bolster the line-up but Irving was already pleased with the courage and focus his young players showed under pressure against Golden Point last week.

"They've been enjoying training a bit more this week after tense moments in trying to make the finals," Irving said.

"A few of the young guys showed a bit of form with the ball a week before, but young Rob Ryan showed a lot of character to do what he did and bat for as long as he could.

"We're pretty pumped, pretty excited."