CRICKET
CGCA
MORWELL hosts the undefeated Mirboo North in a ferocious clash of the Tigers.
Morwell sits third and is looking to close the gap on second-placed Yallourn North but must contend with an in-form Rob Phonenix and company.
Phoenix has been sublime with bat and ball and leads a potent batting lineup including Matt Snell, Shane Peters and Ben Heath.
Morwell has operated well as a unit without any one batsman going on to make a big score.
Plenty are capable; Wayne Fleming, Brendan Brincat and Mark Cukier, as well as captain Craig Giddens, have all been making starts.
Canadian Riyaz Pathan has begun to settle in at the top of the Morwell order.
Tim Dowe and Brandon McDonald will have the hard task of restricing Mirboo North’s run flow.
Moe v Trafalgar
MOE travels to Trafalgar in an early season clash of the cellar dwellers.
The cupboard has been extremely bare for Moe so far with a long list of outs in a dismal start to their title defence.
Both teams have just the single victory, against the winless Thorpdale, and a win here puts either team within touching distance of the top four.
Both sides will be hurting from narrow losses last week; The Lions missed out by five runs, and the Ships just three.
Rhys Holdsworth has done all the heavy lifting for Trafalgar so far, while his opposite number Andrew Philip has been doing the same for Moe.
Latrobe v Thorpdale
LATROBE faces a Thorpdale outfit bolstered by the South African Conradie twins, who have found their feet in first grade.
Patrick Farrant has been taking plenty of wickets and has great support from Brendan Evans, Anthony Bloomfield and Ash Halkett, while Bloomfield and Kaushik Aphale give the Sharks’ batting lineup a daunting look.
Henk and Schalke Conradie can only do so much by themselves, and the Blues’ chances of victory depend on contributions from the likes of Jason Richardson, veteran Harvey Poole, and captain Boyd Bailey.
If the team’s lesser lights can shine then they should be able to give the Sharks a good scare.
Yallourn North has the bye.
