Hunting for positions
Grand-final spots in a one-day series will be up for grabs this weekend as Horsham Cricket Association A Grade teams jostle for position.
While outfits have been shoring up their spots for approaching season-proper semi-finals, only the top two teams on a one-day ladder, which runs parallel to overall standings, have the opportunity to win the season’s one-day crown.
The one-day series Cornell-schwedes trophy on March 12 is the first prize on offer for the season and with the last round of one-day fixtures for the season scheduled this weekend, all top-four teams have a chance to secure a spot.
Only six points separate top from fourth after eight one-day rounds, with Homers, 33 points, appearing comfortable on the leaderboard ahead of Horsham Saints and Rupanyup-minyip, both 30, and Jung Tigers on 27.
On Saturday the Saints take on the Tigers at Coughlin Park and Rupanyup-minyip plays Homers at Minyip. There has been plenty of drama leading up to this weekend’s games, with Homers throwing a spanner into the Tigers’ plans last weekend and Laharum keeping Rupanyup-minyip in the doldrums with upset results.
Rupanyup-minyip, a pre-christmas pace-setter, has limped into the back end of the season, having lost its three return games of 2017. It fell short of Laharum’s 213 by 26 runs, placing enormous pressure to perform against arch rival Homers this weekend. Despite the loss, Blue Panthers all-rounder Clinton Midgley produced one of the rarest feats in cricket, claiming a four-wicket-in-a-row double hat-trick.
The medium-pacer snared 5-54 from his one-day maximum of 10 overs, tearing off the Mountain Men’s middle and tail.
Midgley didn’t go as well with the bat at the change of innings but Matt Downer, 74, Leith Funcke, 31, and Travis Hair, 23, were progressing the score along well before a major collapse.
Homers, meanwhile, had a ravenous hunger for wickets in a twilight clash at Horsham City Oval after setting the Tigers 204 to win under lights. The Pigeons were so much on the hunt for scalps that after having the Tigers reeling at 3-8, and in possibly a first in Horsham A Grade cricket, successfully appealed to umpires for a ‘handled ball’ decision. The appeal was in response to a batsman picking up the ball.
The Tigers couldn’t recover, although Steve Leith continued his form with bat, making a middle-order 48 as the chasers chalked up 154. Earlier, Michael Langford, 53, Simon Hopper, 42, and Chris Hopper launched themselves at the Tigers attack before Tigers veteran David Puls, 4-23 led a counter-offensive.
The Tigers now meet a Horsham Saints side that was too good for Blackheath-dimboola in a low-scoring clash at Dimboola.
Run-making first drop Mathew Combe ultimately proved the difference between the sides, his 81 making up the bulk of the Saints’ 163. Most of his team-mates fell to a bowling attack inspired by Elliot Braithwaite and Sam Polack, who shared six wickets between them.
While the target might have appeared gettable for the Bulls, Combes Mathew and Justtin shared the new ball and all but ended the chase before it had begun.
The Bulls were soon 6-60 and only a middle-order 37 from Hamish Exell and defiant 21 from Chris Ross made serious impressions in the scorebook.
Blackheath-dimboola takes on what would be a pumped-up Laharum in a fascinating book-end to the one-day games.
The raw albeit laconic cricketing talent of Laharum’s Damien Bunworth never ceased to amaze, his team-leading 76 and four wickets a standout in the victory over Rupanyup-minyip.