YALLOURN North is in the box seat to keep its EnergyAustralia Yallourn Cup finals hopes alive in its clash with Mirboo North.
Chasing 208 the Bombers have already wiped 50 off the score and need another 159 for valuable first innings points.
After three impressive batting efforts the Mirboo North Tigers came back to reality with an ordinary innings and their reign at the top lasted one week.
They have not lost this match as yet and if they can bundle the Bombers out for a losing score they have a reasonable run home with a bye and games against Moe and Newborough Bulldogs.
Liam Smit will be the bowler likely to cause the Bombers some problems; he bowled exceptionally well against Bairnsdale in last Sunday’s Gippsland Cricket League match, taking the last three wickets to give Central Gippsland a welcome one run win.
Josh Keyhoe, who is in good form, and the experienced Glen Sheekey would like to continue where they left off last week and pave the way for the batsmen to follow. Morwell should wrap up its match against Newborough Bulldogs early as several of the Bulldog bats have indicated they are otherwise engaged this weekend.
Outright points are what Morwell needs to consolidate its place in the top four. It meets Yallourn North, Latrobe and Trafalgar in the remaining three rounds.
At the crease are Craig Giddens and Blake Mills and, if there is no early declaration, Giddens could be tempted to see if both he and Mills can make three figures.
Trafalgar has a huge task to get the points against Moe, chasing 306 for victory.
Rhys Holdsworth and James Blaser are the two main bats for the Ships and they are capable of handling any attack they face. However they will need plenty of backup support in this run chase.
Country week
MOE’S Rob Phoenix has been named captain of Central Gippsland’s Country Week squad and team mate Andrew Philip and Glen Sheekey of Yallourn North have been named as vice captains.
Other members of the squad are: Daniel Siddle, Rob McKinley (Latrobe), Shane Peters, Liam Smit, Jimmy Watson (Mirboo North), Sam Price (Moe), Aiden Vesty (Newborough Bulldogs), Rhys Holdsworth (Trafalgar), Josh Keyhoe, Luke Nelson (Yallourn North) with Blake Mills (Morwell) first emergency. Stand by players are Kaushik Aphale (Latrobe), Chris Johnson (Moe), Dale Banks (Mirboo North) and Brendan Brincat (Morwell). Central Gippsland will compete in division three; training for the country week squad is at Ted Summerton on the next two Tuesdays beginning at 6pm.
