MILDURA Settlers are in danger of missing the Sunraysia Cricket Association First Division finals for the first time in over a decade.
The team has won eight of the last 11 premierships and has been a force in Sunraysia cricket for many years, making the top four every season since the 2009/10 campaign.
However Setts are currently more than a game outside the top four and face top of the table Irymple this week, with fellow finals contenders Mildura West scheduled for the final game of the home and away season.
In the penultimate round of the season it’s still mathematically possible for seven sides to reach the top four. Setts, West and Coomealla Wentworth are likely to slug it out for the last two available places.
Setts and the Swallows have had plenty of battles over the last couple of seasons but as it stands, Irymple are the team to chase down, having lost just one match so far.
Bryson Lush is always a batsman to stop but he made the competition sit up and take notice with a career-best 162 against Merbein South last week. It was also accompanied by handy knocks from Billy Phelan and Nick Giofre.
With one of the deepest bowling units in the competition it was skipper Mark Thomson who shined last week with 6/47, while Luke Collett leads Irymple for the season with 12 scalps.
Settlers will be hopeful of a return for leading scorer Jason Morrison from a calf injury and while there is huge batting depth, few have fired on a consistent basis. Last round it was the turn of skipper Braidyn Turner with 49, while Andrew Petrie (30) and Cam Kiel (28) also performed well.
Three-time Innes Medal winner Richie Wyld leads the competition in wickets taken with 20, while the ever-reliable Mark ‘Cabbage’ Kerr has 11 after taking 3/48 last week.
The contest at Henshilwood Park looms as a critical one for the make up of the finals.
Mildura West v Gol Gol
AN upset win over second-placed Gol Gol could push Mildura West towards a top two place.
If third-placed West go down in this contest, a potential play-off for the last available finals position awaits against Settlers in the final round.
West have won their last three games to move themselves up into third, but with those coming against the bottom three sides on the ladder currently, the gauntlet will be thrown down over the next four weeks against Gol Gol and Settlers.
A century from Chris Williams last round was a catalyst for West’s victory over Mildura East, but outside of fellow opener Joe Fleri (32), no one else reached double figures. Greg Lewis has been handy recently with half centuries in his previous two innings before last game.
Since returning to the competition, English import Aaron Feroz has taken eight wickets, while skipper Shane Driscoll is up to 16 for the season, including 11 in his last three games.
Gol Gol’s deep batting and bowling unit make them a real threat to win their first First Division premiership in a decade.
Alongside the usual suspects in Shac Thoms and Wade Hancock, the NSW side were helped in the batting by Tyson Adamson (43), Vaughan McClure (33) and Sheldon Calarco (28).
On the bowling, Luke Hickey has been a great recruit, second in the competition with 18 scalps, while Jayden Brooks has proven himself handy after four wickets on day one.
Mildura East v Coomealla Wentworth
Coomealla Wentworth fell short in last year’s grand final series, and after a slow start to the 2021-22 campaign, some were wondering if the Blues would get back to the top four again.
They have won all four of their games since Christmas to force their way into fourth place, fractionally behind Mildura West and a win ahead of Settlers.
A win over potential wooden spooners today would go a long way to securing finals, however a final round contest against Gol Gol gives them no guarantees.
The Blues were unable to secure an outright victory over Nichols Point last week, which could have had a huge bearing on finals.
Bevan Wade played a starring all-round role taking four wickets before scoring 88, while skipper Mat Job has 160 runs in his last three innings, including his second half century last week.
They also have plenty of depth in their bowling with Justin Freeman, Wade and recruit Jay Turlan all in double figures for the season.
Mildura East were prepared to back their youth this season and while the results haven’t really gone their way so far, it may bode well for the future.
Bowlers Surendra Prajapat and Zane Hunt have solidified themselves as first team starters, while Connor Robinson has added extra batting depth.
Seven-time Innes Medal winner Tom Vadlja can always make an impact too, as seen by his 7/59 last week, the best individual haul of the season for any bowler.
Nichols Point v Merbein South
NICHOLS Point can avoid the wooden spoon if they manage a win over Merbein South on their home deck.
It will take some doing against a much improved Saints who have moved ahead from their winless campaign last season. At the Christmas break, Merbein South were inside the top four, however they have been unable to find a win since this calendar year.
The form of recruit Mark East has been massive in recent weeks, with two half-centuries finally being converted into a first SCA century scoring 114 last round against Irymple.
Spinner Jarrod Forrester has been impressive with 14 wickets while Tony Trinick and Robbie Roelofs each have 12.
For the Pointers, skipper Brad Thomas has led the way with the bat with 238 runs at an average of 34, but he hasn’t had a lot of support.
Coach Shaun Mathews has performed well with the ball, as has Jack Norton, while they have blooded a number of young players across the campaign.
Brodie Ryan, Oliver Murray and Lewis Dichiera, who all played last week, are still under-16 age group.
