Mildura East v Mildura West
Brian Weightman Oval
MILDURA West sit just outside the top four, part of a two-team chasing pack with Nichols Point, and have a good chance to make some ground up playing rivals Mildura East.
East are still very much in a development phase, particularly lacking senior depth with the ball, but in a shortened format can be dangerous.
With the bat Vick Singh and Muki Sharma can punish loose bowling, while the experienced Tom Vadlja has enjoyed a good start to the season.
West are without former captain-coach Chris Williams again, which helps East’s cause after he top scored with 76 runs off 67 balls in West’s round three win, but skipper Ben Hallam and vice-captain Luke Hickey were finding form towards Christmas.
Mildura Settlers v Nichols Point
Mildura Senior College
LUKE Coates makes his return for Nichols Point for the first time since round 3 – coincidentally against his old side, Mildura Settlers.
The paceman injured his ankle fielding against Settlers in round 3 and had not played since.
His return will bolster an attack still missing the experienced Matthew Boyd.
Last time out these two sides had one of the matches of the season, with the Pointers prevailing in the final over.
Leigh Thomson-Mathews (Nichols Point) and Luke Stanbrook (Mildura Settlers) were the keys for their sides last time out with the hard-hitting openers enjoying the smaller Nichols Point Reserve.
Runs may prove harder to come by on the slightly bigger Mildura Senior College.
Nichols Point host Merbein South in their second game of the day while Settlers make the trek to Wentworth to face Coomealla Wentworth.
Coomealla Wentworth v Merbein South
McLeod Oval
YOUNGSTERS Kurtis Fitzpatrick and Dillon Furze come in to Merbein South’s side for their first taste of First Division cricket when their side travels to Wentworth.
The Saints went winless before Christmas and have not been able to quite put it together, with the youth path a sensible option as they try to build for the future.
Coomealla Wentworth have made great strides this year and sit in the four coming out of the Christmas break
Skipper Justin Freeman formed a good partnership with the new ball with Kobe Smith early on but with Smith now in Melbourne, he has received plenty of help from Bevan Wade.
Freeman’s 17 wickets see him top of the tree across all bowlers, while Wade has 23 to sit fourth in the wicket-taker standings.
Mitch Kemp had also started to piece together some form with the bat at the top of the order.
