THE second part of the Northern District Cricket Association A Grade season begins on Saturday, with four clubs aiming to end Leitchville/Gunbower’s dominance over the competition.
The composite side is yet to drop a match during 2015/16, and is favourites to win their second title in three seasons.
Nondies and reigning premiers, Wandella will need results to fall their way to claim the minor premiership, whilst Barham/Koondrook and Cohuna United are in a battle for fourth spot on the ladder.
LEITCHVILLE/GUNBOWER
Ladder position – First (7 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw)
Record against top-four sides – 6 wins, 0 losses,
Byes remaining – 2 (rounds 13 and 18)
Most runs – Tyler Jones (296)
Most wickets – Adam Decicco (14)
Yet to be defeated this season in the 45-over format, Leitchville/Gunbower are six wins away from going through the season undefeated.
Last season’s minor premiers have not been challenged in the club’s first seven matches, with hot weather preventing an eighth consecutive win prior to the Christmas break.
Although not having a player heading the leading runs or wickets in the competition, the side has five of the top 10 runs scorers, as well as four of the top 10 wicket takers, this season.
This ability to not rely on one or two players makes the competition’s most eastern side firm favourites to claim the 2015/16 title.
NONDIES
Ladder position – Second (5 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw)
Record against top-four sides – 3 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw
Byes remaining – 1 (round 14)
Most runs – Jake Thrum (312)
Most wickets – Jake Thrum (14)
Boasting the competition’s top two leading runs scorers – Jake Thrum (312) and Clayton Holmes (299), Nondies strength this season has been with the bat.
Thrum – who also has the second most wickets this season – is proving to be one of the best players in the competition, with Leitchville/Gunbower the only side to defeat the Cohuna-based team this season.
Nondies trails Leitchville/Gunbower by 15 points, but have on less bye than the competition leaders between this weekend and round 18 on February 28.
The side will also need to ensure it can preserve its 10-point gap ahead of reigning premiers, Wandella or face a home first semi-final against either Barham/Koondrook or Cohuna United.
WANDELLA
Ladder position – Third (4 wins, 4 losses)
Record against top-four sides – 2 wins, 4 losses
Byes remaining – 1 (round 15)
Most runs – Greg Dickson (195)
Most wickets – Peter Moore (17)
Last season’s reigning premiers are on track to make the finals, thanks to the 16-point gap between themselves and the two teams battling for fourth place, but losses to the top two teams on the ladder mean the Bombers need to make the most of the coming seven matches.
Greg Dickson (195) and Brodey Farley (136) are the only two Bombers to feature in the competition’s top 15 runs scorers, but the side still boasts the majority of the players who secured the 2014/15 title.
Peter Moore leads the competition with 17 wickets, with new player Isaac Hogan (10) the only other Bomber to feature in the top 10.
Saturday’s match against Nondies will be the side’s first chance to make inroads into the battle for the top two, but a loss will mean the club would need to prepare to play a first semi-final at Riverside Park against either Barham/Koondrook or Cohuna United.
BARHAM/KOONDROOK
Ladder position – Fourth (1 win, 6 losses, 1 draw)
Record against top-four sides – 0 wins, 5 losses, 1 draw
Byes remaining – 2 (round 12 and 17)
Most runs – Steven Farrant (225)
Most wickets – Shane Guerra (11)
The second part of the season looks set to be a repeat for the border-based side, with the team battling with Cohuna United for a second consecutive year to make the finals.
Barham/Koondrook’s sole win came against United before the mid-season break, moving the side into the top four.
Steven Farrant and Shane Guerra continue to lead the way, and will be pivotal to the side’s chances – especially in the round 14 match against United.
However, Farrant and Guerra’s teammates will need to chip in to secure at least two wins before round 18 to ensure a finals spot is secured.
COHUNA UNITED
Ladder position – Fifth (1 win, 6 losses, 1 draw)
Record against top-four sides – 1 win, 6 losses, 1 draw
Byes remaining – 2 (rounds 11 and 16)
Most runs – Daniel Cooke (254)
Most wickets – Andrew Neil (11)
Like Barham/Koondrook, Cohuna United needs to win at least two of their last six matches of the season to make the finals.
United boasts the fifth-highest runs scorer in the competition (Daniel Cooke), but he will need plenty of support if the side can defeat any of the clubs that feature in the top four.
The round 14 match against the border side looms as the game that will determine United’s fate.
B GRADE
NONDIES, Barham/Koondrook and Wandella will spend the next eight weeks battling for the minor premiership and the double chance, with 17 points separating the sides going into round 11.
Nondies has dropped one match this season, whilst the border side’s losses have come against Nondies and Wandella.
Cohuna United sits fourth on the ladder, holding an 11-point lead over reigning premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower. The February 6 match between both sides will determine which team will play finals.
Kerang Fairley Town – who have not won an A Grade or B Grade match since their 2013/14 B Grade premiership success – are four wins outside the top four and could struggle to produce a victory for a second consecutive season.
