Irymple v Workers Gol Gol
A HOME final is at stake when Irymple and Workers Gol Gol meet on Saturday at Henshilwood Oval in the final round of the home-and-away season.
Workers are two points clear in second position heading into Saturday’s match, but have a worse percentage.
The psyschological edge a home match provides will be driving both sides heading into this game.
Little has separated the sides all season across all formats, but it has been the Swallows who have held a slight advantage and they will be hoping the trend continues.
Both sides have plenty of depth, but if there is a flaw in Irymple’s game it is in their batting. They have some class players, but are reliant on skipper Jordan Payne and all-rounder Dan Coghlan to score their runs.
But what they lack in batting they make up for in their bowling department with Chase Stone finding form at the right end of the season.
Stone will again be a key player and if he can strike early and expose Workers middle order, then it will make for a very interesting contest.
Workers are full of class with Adam Thomson and Wade Hancock leading the way with the bat, while Nick Jensen is enjoying a fine season as the club’s premier all-rounder.
But whatever the outcome of this contest, it will be a great prelude to the first week of the finals, which start on March 14.
Mildura Settlers v Nichols Point
ONE round and two days of cricket is all that stands between Nichols Point and an historic Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) finals appearance.
The Pointers have not featured in a First Division finals series since rejoining the SCA’s top competition in 2015-16.
And although mathematically they can still miss out, they are certainly in the box seat heading into their final home-and-away match against ladder leaders Mildura Settlers.
The significance of what Nichols Point have achieved this season is not lost on club president Jamie Milton, although he is reluctant to talk about a potential finals appearance.
“What we are pleased with is that in previous years, we might have an upset victory here and there, but this year we feel like we have beaten the sides we should be beating,” Milton said.
“We certainly know we are not up in the top three sides in the competition, but we feel like we have definitely improved across the board.
“It’s in our own hands now I suppose and if we perform well then we are in (four).”
The equation is pretty simple for Nichols Point. If they defeat Setts they are assured of holding on to fourth position.
Lose, and Mildura West win outright over Merbein South, West could grab fourth.
Both scenarios seem unlikely, but not impossible. Whatever happens, Milton believes this season has been a success.
“For us it is definitely a long-term outlook – we definitely know where we are at – we are not at the cream of the crop just yet,” Milton said.
“It’s a work in progress. We are certainly hoping to make finals, but this year is a step in the right direction.
“All you can ever ask for is to have your destiny in your own hands.
“For us it is probably the first time we have been in this position.
“Most times at this stage of the season we have had no chance of making finals so to be in a position where we have that opportunity, it is very pleasing, but, as I said, a lot of things still have to play out.”
One of the main reasons for Nichols Point’s rise this season has been the form of new skipper Brad Thomas.
Milton said Thomas had brought a level of professionalism missing from the club’s First Division side.
“He (Thomas) has been a top performer at this level for years and he just brings that extra bit of professionalism you need to compete at this level,” Milton said.
“Players like him and Shaun (Mathews) give the younger guys someone to look up to and that is important.”
Mildura West v Merbein South
MILDURA West’s finals window is not completely shut as they head into Saturday’s final round against Merbein South.
West must win outright over Merbein South, then hope Mildura Settlers defeat Nichols Point if they are to have any chance of sneaking into the top four.
If West only claim first innings points, they can not dislodge Nichols Point even if they lose to Mildura Settlers.
The odds certainly are in Nichols Point’s favour, but at the back of Mildura West’s mind will be last year’s final round when they also played Merbein South and claimed an outright win.
West had their chance last weekend to secure a finals berth when they only needed to chase down Nichols Point’s modest first innings total of 133, but they failed terribly, all out for 70.
They will need a much better effort this round if they are to have any chance of claiming maximum points and an improbable finals berth.
Mildura East v Coomealla Wentworth
COOMEALLA Wentworth and Mildura East may be out of finals contention, but they both still have plenty to play for.
The loser is likely to finish on the bottom of the ladder and claim cricket’s most unwanted prize – the wooden spoon.
It has been a disappointing season for both clubs, but even more so for Coomealla Wentworth, who finished fourth last season.
But a win this round will help ease the disappointment a little and give the Blues some much needed confidence heading into the off season.
Mildura East will also been keen to finish on a high which should provide for a great contest.
