Nichols Point v Merbein South
Nichols Point Reserve
NICHOLS Point have been boosted by the return of coach Shaun Mathews and pace ace Daniel Chapman for Saturday’s vital round 15 match against Merbein South at home.
Mathews injured his knee in the last completed round before Christmas while Chapman returns for his first match since round 7 as the Pointers look to maintain breathing space inside the top four.
They come into the side at the expense of Carmine Cavallaro and Jereme Lewer.
Nichols Point are fourth – a game plus change clear of Mildura West going into the final white-ball round of the season, with the 10 points on offer crucial.
West have a tough ask against second-placed Workers Gol Gol and, if they lose and Nichols Point can overcome the sixth-placed Saints, then it will go a long way towards helping the hosts qualify for their maiden Sunraysia Cricket Association First Division finals campaign.
They are coming off a disappointing loss to Settlers last start, in which some lapses in the field cost them dearly and allowed Settlers to chase down their runs with seven wickets in hand.
Merbein South have made a couple of changes from the side that lost to West last start, with Seane Headland and veterans Mark White and Stuart Watson out for Josh Carmichael, Chris Grimmer and Zack Hamence.
Nichols Point have been victorious twice over Merbein South this season, in a two-dayer in round 9 and a Twenty20 in round 2.
While the Saints are outsiders in terms of the finals race they are still a mathematical chance and still will be chasing hard for victory.
Mildura West v Workers Gol Gol
John Hall Oval
WORKERS Gol Gol can clinch a spot in the White Ball Cup final with a win on Saturday, while Mildura West will be gunning for a crucial upset at John Hall Oval.
But the hosts are doing it without captain-coach Chris Williams, who is away for the weekend and will be replaced in the XI by Matt Lee, which is a big blow given his impact on the side.
Workers Gol Gol sit second on the First Division and White Ball Cup ladders.
Settlers are the only side that can unseat them – on percentage – should Workers Gol Gol lose and Settlers beat Coomealla Wentworth.
Workers Gol Gol are coming off a good win over White Ball Cup pacesetters Irymple and should be too strong on Saturday.
Experienced paceman Matt Cameron returns to help boost Workers Gol Gol, with Sheldon Calarco out.
Mildura Settlers v Coomealla Wentworth
Mildura Senior College
MILDURA Settlers are warm favourites as they welcome seventh-placed Coomealla Wentworth to town.
They have been boosted by the return of Travis Shawcross from a shoulder complaint, while big-hitting opening batsman Jason Morrison started to regain form with 49 last weekend against Nichols Point.
Settlers have been the standout across the overall season 2019-20, sitting top on the First Division ladder and still remain a chance to pinch a top-two spot in the White Ball Cup decider on percentage.
Coomealla Wentworth are well back in the race to the finals but have their tails up coming off a third win of the season last weekend.
A Darby McLean half century helped them to a four-wicket win over Mildura East, while skipper Justin Freeman, with bat and ball, led from the front (1/13 from eight overs and a brisk 27 from 20 balls).
They and their teammates will need to be right on form if the Blues are any chance to cause an upset on Saturday.
Mildura East v Irymple
Brian Weightman Oval
ON a day when City Oval’s Turf One will officially be unveiled as Brian Weightman Oval, Mildura East will be hard pressed to continue the celebration of a great of Sunraysia sport against a strong Irymple outfit seeking to bounce back from a last-start loss.
Weightman was a cricketer for East from 1948 to 1982 and in later years was the curator at Mildura Recreation Reserve.
His former side comes into the game in sixth position on the White Ball Cup ladder and eighth in the First Division and face the competition’s top white-ball side to date.
Irymple were downed narrowly by Workers Gol Gol last weekend, by two runs after failing to haul in their opponents’ total of 122.
Bowling was again their strength, led by four wickets to Chase Stone, and against a side that has struggled at times with the bat, they should find themselves well on top.
East captain Josh Berry has been resolute with the willow, scoring a half century last weekend in a loss to go with a run of solid starts, but needs some more help if East are to get a competitive total on the board.
