THE battle for a Northern District Cricket Association A Grade second semi-final spot will intensify tomorrow if the heat enables Wandella and Cohuna United to take to the field.
With the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a maximum temperature of 43 degrees, all games may be called off as the temperature will exceed the threshold of 41 degrees.
If this is the case, all sides playing tomorrow will receive three points as all matches will be deemed to be a draw, adding another challenge for teams striving for a top-two spot or finals hosting rights.
However, if play does occur, the match at Riverside Park will be critical to help determine which finals the Bombers and United play on March 3.
Little separates last season’s grand finalists and United, with both teams winning four games, losing two games and producing two draws in the first 10 rounds of the season.
Although United has a one-point advantage over the Bombers, the Cohuna Recreation Reserve c-based side has struggled against tomorrow’s hosts during the past four years.
Isaac Hogan and Greg Dickson will lead the hosts’ batting order against Ryan Barnes and Logan Spittal, with Ian Mathers and Daniel Cooke needing to dominate with the willow for United when Wandella’s bowlers – led by Hogan and Mick Bott – take to the field.
In tomorrow’s other match, Nondies can move closer to the battle for a second semi-final spot with a win against competition leaders, Leitchville/Gunbower.
Results prior to Christmas confirmed Nondies’ finals booking – all but shutting out Barham/Koondrook’s chances of closing a 20-point gap in the next eight weeks – and left last season’s semi-finalists equal with Cohuna United and Wandella on four wins.
If Rhys Bradley and Will Thrum can prevent opening batsmen, Kurt Brereton and Tyler Jones from getting a start, Nondies could produce a fifth win of the season. This will also depend on the likes of Sam O’Shea and Jack Donat scoring runs against a Sam Colvin-led pace attack.
However, recent form means the defending premiers go into the match as favourites, with the side not losing to Nondies so far in season 2017/18.
Top teams to clash
TOP spot on the Northern District Cricket Association B Grade ladder will be on the line tomorrow when the competition’s top two teams meet at Koondrook.
Undefeated competition leaders, Nondies will travel to take on Barham/Koondrook, with less than five points separating the sides, despite the border side losing two games in season 2017/18.
Nondies won by 44 runs when the teams last met in early November and can be one weekend closer to hosting the second semi-final on March 3 with a seventh victory of the season.
Fellow Cohuna-based team, Cohuna United will also put its finals chances to the test tomorrow against defending premiers, Wandella.
The result of the match at Riverside Park will impact the battle for the double chance, with the Bombers one point off second spot on the ladder.
Wandella produced a one-sided win back in round four, but United – which is 12 points outside the top four following consecutive wins prior to the mid-season break – needs to win to keep in touch with fourth-placed Leitchville/Gunbower, with the league’s southernmost side hosting Kerang Fairley Town tomorrow at Leitchville.
Tomorrow’s visitors put in a spirited performance when the teams last met in round four, but Leitchville/Gunbower still won by 69 runs.
