JOHN HALL OVAL
Mildura West v Workers Gol Gol – 12.30pm
Mildura West v Mildura Settlers – 4pm
EXPERIENCE is always helpful on the cricket field, with West bringing back one of their most seasoned veterans for today’s crucial match against top-of-the-ladder Workers Gol Gol.
Former captain Brandon Dixon returns, along with Ethan Hicks and Oskar Faulkhead back from Geelong Grammar on holidays.
Chris Williams and skipper Luke Hickey are big outs, as is spin option Thanura Rajapakse.
Workers Gol Gol also swing the changes with Lauchy Wade, Hayden Carroll and Jeremy Barnes for Nick Jensen, Ben McPhee and Jake Albrecht.
The visitors are the form team of the competition, coming off a demolition of Settlers last weekend, and will be tough to beat.
West play Settlers in the second game of the day.
CHAFFEY PARK
Merbein South v Mildura Settlers – 12.30pm
Merbein South v Workers Gol Gol – 4pm
ANTHONY Cavallaro makes his debut for Merbein South today against Settlers at home.
He is one of three changes to the side, with Lachlan Cavallaro and Aaron Walder in.
Skipper Matt O’Connor, Brady Moore and Seane Headland come out. Hamim Miah will captain the side in O’Connor’s absence.
The Saints have struggled this season and are yet to register a win.
Seamus Keogh returns for Settlers after a side strain earlier in the season while making his Premier cricket debut.
It is understood he will play as a bat, still not cleared to bowl.
Josh Goss also comes in, with Will Rodgers and Nelson Mensforth the outs.
Workers Gol Gol play Merbein South in the late game at the venue.
NICHOLS POINT RESERVE
Nichols Point v Irymple – 12.30pm
Nichols Point v Mildura East – 4pm
AFTER a sole cameo appearance in First Division last year youngster Riley Jobson comes in for Nichols Point against Irymple today in his club’s opening match.
SCA rounds 8 and 9 will be played as back-to-back Twenty20s, with the Pointers hosting second-placed Irymple and seventh-placed East.
After a bright 2-0 start to the year Nichols Point have stuttered in their past three games and will be looking to get at least one win out of today.
Jobson in for Matt Boyd is the sole change Nichols Point have made from their loss to Mildura West last weekend.
Irymple, sitting in second, have made the one change with Mitch Roads in for Wade Minter.
The Swallows easily accounted for the Pointers in their last match, stifling their batting line-up and bowling them out for 78 in the 39th over.
East come into the Point from Coomealla for their second match of the day after facing the Blues first up.
GEORGE GORDON OVAL
Coomealla Wentworth v Mildura East – 12.30pm
Coomealla Wentworth v Irymple – 4pm
IN round 4, East notched their only win of the season so far. That was against Coomealla Wentworth, who they face first today.
But that time out they had Campbell Vadlja in the line-up, who scored 88 runs and had a 100-run partnership with his dad, Tom.
The junior Vadlja isn’t there now, which opens the door back up for Coomealla Wentworth.
A lot will centre on East’s young bowling attack of Jayden Hunt, Charlie Berry and Zane Hunt making inroads early against a batting line-up that has sometimes been vulnerable in the past few years.
The Blues have been up and down so far this season, more up, with three wins and two losses to sit in fourth.
They had Kobe Smith at the start of the year forming an impressive opening bowling tandem with skipper Justin Freeman, however with the former now playing Premier Cricket in Melbourne today’s hosts have lost that spark he gave.
Much rides on their batting – which will give the bowlers something to work with.
Mitch Kemp has a couple of starts and a half-century to his name, while Freeman is a class bat, with others capable of bobbing up here and there as well – the key will be a more consistent showing.
Irymple make the trip out for the day’s second match.
