ANOTHER week and another top-of-the-table clash arrives in the Sunraysia Cricket Association.
After Irymple earned a 53-run win over Mildura East in last week’s encounter, the top-of-the-table side faces Gol Gol which has pushed up into second place.
Both sides have produced some cracking contests in recent years and are still also to face-off in their two-day encounter, which will take place on February 22 and 29 in the penultimate round of the home and away season.
Gol Gol have bounced back from a slow start to record six wins in a row and sit within less than five points of the Swallows, but of their remaining five games, four come against fellow top four sides, the aforementioned contests with Irymple, a one-dayer against East and a final round two-dayer with Nichols Point.
Gol Gol captain-coach Adam Thomson knows Irymple will be thorough opposition as always at Henshilwood Oval this weekend.
“I think it will be close again,” he said.
“They’ve been able to get us in the one-dayers over the past few years so hopefully we can get one back on them.
“They’ve been a strong bowling side for a number of years now but their batting has also been outstanding.
“Obviously bringing in Scott Steel is going to help with that and between him, Mark (Thomson) and ‘Lushy’ (Bryson Lush) they’ve got three of the better bats in the competition.”
Thomson said much of his side’s improvement had come down to having more player available as the season had progressed.
Opening bowler Luke Hickey made his first division return in the last match before Christmas, while fellow paceman Matt Cameron is also getting some game time.
“Luke missed the start of the year after having thumb surgery, and then Matty Cameron hadn’t played much early either so to have two opening bowlers back in is extremely handy,” Thomson said.
Recruit Greg Beresi has been solid in four innings at the top of the order since coming across from Western Australia, but unsurprisingly much of their recent positive performances have been at the hands of dynamic duo Shacaya Thomas and Wade Hancock.
Thomas has scored centuries in back-to-back matches and leads all-competition wicket-takers with 27, while Hancock only has one score lower than 30 for the season.
Thomson said Thomas’s 114 not out against Mildura West was “as good as you will see”.
“I don’t think he gave a chance at all,” he said. “He just puts so much time into his game and it clearly shows.”
Irymple and Gol Gol go head to head at Henshilwood Oval from 1pm.
