Pressure builds on Barron’s pacemen

BARRON’S pace-bowling barrage will need to fire if they are to break free of a tight, fourway ladder lock and join Norths atop the Cricket Far North table.

Norths have won five of their six games so far to sit two games clear of four teams – Rovers, Barron, Atherton and Mulgrave – with three victories to their name.

They have done it on the back of intelligent batting from Aidan Firman (215 runs at 71.67) and Dan Freebody (172 at 43), and a strong bowling unit led by Freebody (11 wickets at 15.91) and Mark Ellis (10 wickets at 15.4).

But Barron will bring their own fire to Crathern Park.

Jordan Fulton is the wicket taker with 14 wickets (at 8.86), while Harry Gardner’s remarkable 5-23 last week has moved him to fifth overall with 10 wickets (12.9).

Barron will also welcome back leading run scorer Andrew Phelps, who missed last week’s big win against Cassowary Coast on rep duty for North Queensland in Mackay.

Justin Reid’s Mulgrave’s will be looking to climb up from fifth when they take on Cassowary Coast.

Reid has made three 50s from five innings this season to sit third in the leading run scorers, and will be out to make another big score when they travel to Miller Oval.

At Griffiths Park, a battle between the joint-leading run scorer Thomas Boorman (Atherton) and second-leading wicket taker Brenton Edwards (Rovers) will highlight two teams desperate to play finals.

Boorman has scored 282 runs from six innings, which includes a 105 not out the last time they played Rovers (round 2).

Star all-rounder Edwards has claimed 12 wickets from four games at an average of 6.83.

Every game, every grade: Full round preview at cairnspost.com.au/sport