TDCA
DAY two of round 12 finds nine teams still with a chance of playing Traralgon and district finals.
CATS, the team who has the most at stake this week is the team who isn’t even playing, it has the bye.
If results don’t go its way it could be unluckily dropped out of finals contention in a cruel fashion by not being able to control their own destiny.
The match of the round between Raiders and Glengarry is set for a thrilling finish after the Magpies posted 225.
Glengarry is looking to up its game heading into a guaranteed finals spot but it needs to score more than 200, and on Yinnar’s home turf, so it’s going to be quite the task.
The visitors bat deep but will be hoping Kent Hammond can occupy the crease for a while as he has not scored a single run during the regular season this year, although he has only played twice.
As always Brad Knowles will be heavily relied upon with the ball but it’s Yinnar’s English import, Ross Whelpdale, that Glengarry needs to worry about the most after he took three wickets in the season opener as well as coming into form recently taking 11 wickets in his last two games.
In what should be a good finish Yinnar deserves to be hot favourites to come away with the win.
Rovers will be pleased coming into this week after restricting the dangerous Churchill to 163.
The club’s future will be on display early as young guns Justin Little and Ewan Williams resume batting with the score at 1/39 as Rovers seek another 125 for victory.
Early wickets will be the key to winning this game.
If Rovers can survive some early Kurt Holt venom it should be able to win, but lose a few and it risks exposing the young middle order, meaning the Cobra’s could pinch the win and keep a hold of third spot.
Toongabbie will be confident it can defend its score of 171 but will need to still be wary of a Centrals outfit which is capable of big scores after posting 268 last round.
When these two clubs played off in a two-day game last year Centrals’ Mark Rawson plundered a hundred while Toongabbie’s captain Aaron Lynch took a working man’s five-wicket haul, so it won’t be a surprise if these two square off again and have a massive impact on their teams chances.
If Toongabbie lose it could give up its second position on the ladder, so with much at stake the Rams will get home in this match.
Ex Students only needs another 70 runs to pass Gormandale’s first innings score and with eight wickets in hand it should do it comfortably.
The Sharks sit five points clear on top of the ladder and a win here will guarantee the minor premiership.
With this in mind it could be a long day for the Tigers once the win is achieved as Ex Students will enjoy being able to spend some time at the crease with no pressure and could fill their boots with runs heading into finals.
Imperials has already got the win on the board and will now set about trying to win outright for maximum points.
This is not the first time Traralgon West has had to stare down an outright defeat and it will be an easier task with Imperials’ Mitch Goodwin missing this week.
As it stands the Eagles will need to score 160 just to make Imperials bat again or block out 80 overs which will be incredibly hard as the dangerous Nat Campbell and Joel Randall will surely be at their damaging best.
