Trafalgar desperately needs a win to save its title defence after slipping to second last on the Central Gippsland cricket ladder.
As such its match against Latrobe has come at the perfect moment; the Ships have beaten the Sharks in their three most recent encounters, including last season’s grand final.
The premier badly missed James Blaser last week and, with a hundred against the Sharks in their previous matchup, the big-hitting wicketkeeper could be the difference.
Aiden George and Rhys Holdsworth are both experienced runscorers and will look for the rest of the order to bat around them to post a competitive total.
Jackson Noonan and Todd Mann are two of the competition’s premier opening bowlers and should be firing on all cylinders if the visitors can produce a defendable score.
The fitness of Anthony Bloomfield will be a key factor for Latrobe, with the veteran opener hamstrung after his match-winning 86 last week against Mirboo North.
If he is absent the Sharks will look to Matt Brewer, Steven Freshwater and Justin Vajler to cover, while the form of youngster Will Kennedy has been encouraging. Brendan Evans continues to snag wickets albeit at an expensive rate, with the seam of Chris Johnson, swing of Jamie Brierley and pace of Tyron Gamage balancing the attack.
MORWELL has the chance to go top of the ladder with a big win over a struggling Yallourn North, with ladder-leader Mirboo North off on the bye.
Riyaz Pathan, Mark Cukier and Rory Hare will relish the challenge of facing the Bombers’ seam attack, with only spinner Jeremy Butler and skipper Patrick Spiteri among the wickets recently.
The Bombers also need a lift from their batsmen with many in indifferent form or guilty of wasting starts.
Only Josh Keyhoe and the captain have scored consistently but they will be wary of the threat posed by Brendan Brincat and Roger Henry.
THE Panthers will be searching to continue their winning run and now sit in fifth place, just outside a finals berth in their maiden A grade campaign.
Stan Urbanic continues to lead from the front and can count on assistance from Dillon Leys, Tim Laaks, Peter Gilpin and the vastly experienced Ben Duffy.
Moe continues its struggle at the base of the ladder as Andrew Philip aims to manage the transition of a youthful side into the senior ranks.
Ryan Sim picked up his first ever five wicket haul last week in the seconds while Ayden Kelly scored a vital half-century which should give him the confidence to produce the goods at the top level.
Nick Clarke and Robert Blunt lead the bowling attack and will need to be on the spot to account for the destructive hitting of Dermott Leys.
Player Club 100s 50s HS RUNS AVG
1 Blaser, James Trafalgar 2 0 126* 353 70.60
2 Hare, Rory Morwell 0 3 70 351 39.00
3 Mates, Adam Mirboo North 0 2 66 298 37.25
4 Philip, Andrew Moe 1 1 114 271 45.17
5 Mitchell, Joel Moe 0 2 92 254 42.33
6 Pathan, Riyaz Morwell 0 2 92* 240 34.29
7 Holdsworth, Rhys Trafalgar 0 2 67 232 58.00
8 Spiteri, Patrick Yallourn North 0 0 47 219 27.38
9 Peters, Shane Mirboo North 0 0 48 217 27.13
10 Vesty, Aidan Yallourn North 0 2 85* 216 36.00
Player Club W 5WI 10WM BBI AVG STR ECN
1 Mann, Todd Trafalgar 17 0 0 4/24 10.88 31.06 2.10
2 Brierley, Jamie Latrobe 17 0 0 4/47 13.35 26.59 3.01
3 Leys, Dillon Jeeralang-Boolarra 16 1 0 5/71 18.25 33.00 3.32
4 Butler, Jeremy Yallourn North 15 1 0 7/41 16.87 31.73 3.19
5 Urbanic, Stanley Jnr Jeeralang-Boolarra 14 0 0 4/28 14.64 31.50 2.79
6 Johnson, Chris Latrobe 14 0 0 3/7 15.14 43.29 2.10
7 Gamage, Tyron Latrobe 14 0 0 4/20 16.93 39.93 2.54
8 Kelly, Rowan Yallourn North 13 0 0 4/34 18.77 32.62 3.45
9 Brincat, Brendan Morwell 13 1 0 6/43 20.00 42.00 2.86
10 Evans, Brendan Latrobe 13 0 0 3/8 21.92 33.00 3.99
