THE result of the third Northern District Cricket Association A Grade derbies between Nondies and Cohuna United will have ramifications on the sides battling for finals positions.
Less than one game’s worth of points separates second-placed Nondies and third-placed side, Wandella, whilst fifth-placed United is outside the top four by less than one point.
Nondies bounced back from a round 11 loss to the Bombers last weekend, inflicting competition leaders, Leitchville/Gunbower’s first loss of the season.
Jake Thrum and Harrison Keely – who have spent this week playing in the NDCA’s Country Week side – will be critical to Nondies’ chances of a second successive win.
United, who need to win and hope Wandella defeats Barham/Koondrook to return to the top four, will need their top order batsmen to fire to produce an upset win.
The match between the Bombers and Barham/Koondrook will also have ramifications on the race for the finals.
Wandella needs to win tomorrow’s match at Koondrook to keep the club’s hopes for a top-two finish alive.
The reigning premiers defeated Cohuna United last weekend, and will hope its contingent of players who took part in this week’s Country Week competition will be refreshed for tomorrow’s match.
The likes of Brodey Farley, Greg Dickson and Matt Webb have all taken to the field at venues across Bendigo, and this experience will come in handy during the coming weeks.
Barham/Koondrook go into tomorrow’s match refreshed following last weekend’s bye, with the likes of Shane Guerra and Steven Farrant pivotal to the home team’s chances.
Double chance fight
THE battle for the NDCA’s B Grade top four will intensify tomorrow, with all sides battling for finals positions playing against each other.
The match of the round will be at Kerang’s Riverside Park, where third-placed Wandella will look reduce the deficit between the side and second-placed team, Barham/Koondrook.
The Bombers suffered a shock loss to Cohuna United last weekend, whilst the border side were too strong for Kerang Fairley Town.
Wandella will look to Russell Bott, Matt Wilkinson and Nick Whitfield to produce a second win against the border side this season, whilst Barham/Koondrook will hope Dylan Robinson and Jade Stewart can repeat last weekend’s efforts.
The outcome of the match at Kerang will have ramification on the sides playing in Saturday’s Cohuna derby.
Competition leaders, Nondies will travel to the other side of the Cohuna Recreation Reserve to take on Cohuna United.
Nondies inflicted a 99-run loss on reigning premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower last weekend, and could increase its lead at the top of the ladder to 12 points with a win and Barham/Koondrook defeat at Wandella.
Lachie Harbinson and Wade Mathers led the way last weekend, and will need to do the same tomorrow against the fourth-placed United.
The home side will look to Chris Cain, Aaron Wilson and Daniel Wyatt to produce an upset win, with the side capable of sitting third on the ladder tomorrow night if the Bombers lose.
The final match of the round will see the winless Kerang Fairley Town host reigning premiers, Leitchville/Gunbower, who must win to keep their season alive.
A win – as well as a United loss – will reduce the gap between fourth-placed United and the fifth-placed composite side to 12 points, with the team to look to Blake Gelletly and Matt Pollock for support.
It will be a tough task for the home side to produce a win, but the likes of Mark Higgs, Justin Moon and Nathan Moon will work hard to help the home side end its almost two-seasons long winless streak.
