Regular action returns to the Bairnsdale Cricket Association this Saturday with the playing of round 11, the final one-day fixture of the home and away season.
Regardless of the results, this season’s one-day final will be played between Lindenow South Glenaladale and Lakes Entrance, with a date and venue yet to be determined.
It’s an interesting round with the top four sides drawn to play each other. The ramifications could see another ladder leader or potentially Meerlieu moving back into the top four.
Boom side, fourth-ranked Wy Yung, who haven’t tasted defeat since October, will host ladder leader Lindenow South Glenaladale in an intriguing clash which will further showcase how far the Tigers have come.
If they could pull off a victory over the Bulls, they will come right in premiership calculations, if they aren’t already.
The Tigers look a balanced outfit with Cameron McPhan, Daniel Gledhill and Ben Saxon all more than capable of going big. The Bulls main wicket again will be Haydn Erfurth, the batting colossus just keeps performing when the stakes are high and the chips down.
Both sides have good bowling line ups who will need to perform on an afternoon where there will be plenty of questions asked about both sides.
Second-ranked Lakes Entrance will chase its 10th victory of the season when hosting third-placed reigning premier, West Bairnsdale.
It will be another test for the Seagulls who keep rising to the occasion. They will be again looking for big performances from imports Sam Kincaid, Josh Sackfield and Jack Timms against the competition’s most professional team, led wonderfully by Ryan Halford and the stoic Brodie Anderson.
West will go into the clash full of confidence having been comfortable winners of the T20 competition last weekend.
Sixth-placed St Marys Nagle hosts fifth-ranked Meerlieu.
The Tussocks are desperate for a victory after dropping out of the top four last week after being a constant since round two.
Nagle has been resurgent in recent weeks, welcoming some players back to the fold which has seen a turnaround in form.
Victory in this match for the Saints could see it on the door step of the top four for the first time this season.
The Tussocks will again rely on skipper Rohan Blandford, Reagan Kyle, Jay Peiris and classy all-rounder Connor Mitchell. They have impressed in recent weeks by the improved bowling of import Toby Jones.
Ricky Tatnell and Brayden McCarrey will again be pivotal players for Nagle – a big score by either of those powerhouses, could easily sway the match.
Orbost, despite sitting on the bottom of the ladder, will start favourite in their clash with Metung Swan Reach at home.
It will be a chance for the Blues to bank some much-needed points against an opponent who is struggling.
If Orbost can post a score over 200, which it is more than capable of making, it should bank six valuable points.
In the final game Lucknow will host Paynesville, the Gulls aware that victory would see it leapfrog the Magpies on the ladder.
Both sides will need runs from the big players. The injury concern to Lucknow’s Rico Fourie is a worry, while they will be keen to dismiss Paynesville gun Nathan Schoultz cheaply. If they do they should win they game.
If Schoultz gets away, Lucknow will need someone to get a big score. Players such as skipper Jarryd Floyd, Isaac Love and Sam East are more than capable, as are impressive youngsters, Taj Corben and Mitchell Johnson.
