Final four remains open
Horsham Cricket Association’s A Grade season could quickly turn from chocolates to boiled lollies, boiled lollies to chocolates or provide no sweets at all for a team on Saturday.
A final four is far from determined as the competition enters the final day of home-and-away competition.
Rupanyup-minyip, which has celebrated a T20 premiership this season, must now conjure something special with the ball to remain in the hunt for an overall season flag.
The team hovers in fifth place, one point outside the top four behind Laharum, with results on Saturday set to determine finalists.
Under runaway competition leaders Homers, Rupanyup-minyip, Laharum, Horsham Saints and Noradjuha-toolondo all have the chance of securing a place in or missing out on the finals.
As it stands, Noradjuha-toolondo is second on 52 points, one point ahead of third-placed Horsham Saints.
Laharum is fourth on 49 and Rupanyup-minyip, 48.
Despite being outside the top four, Rupanyup-minyip has the second-best percentage of the topfive teams and in its best-case scenario could finish as high as second.
Unless one of the teams does the unlikely and claims 10 points from an outright win, it appears likely the final four will come down to who can secure the best first-innings results.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that all matches determining which teams qualify for the season play-offs are at a halfway point and, critically, in the balance.
Horsham Saints appear the aspirant most likely to secure its finals spot, needing only 128 more runs to beat Jung Tigers on first innings.
The Saints, led by Jono Carroll, 4-34, backed by pressure lineand-length bowling from Tony Caccaviello, 2-38, knocked over Tigers for 141 on the turf at Horsham’s Coughlin Park.
Tyler Puls, 44, and Levi Mock, 25, provided the main resistance for the visitors, who can’t qualify for finals.
The Saints, with Gary Davidson and Cory Smith at the wicket, will resume on Saturday on 0-14.
Other run chases at Horsham
City Oval and Sunnyside reserve appear tougher assignments.
Rupanyup-minyip will defend 197 against Homers, 0-5, after Daniel Schaper, 71, and Adam Carter, 55, conspired in the middle order against an attack led by Mohan Bandara, 3-45, and Craig Britten 2-56.
Homers have a reputable batting order and clinched victory in a Cornell-schwedes one-day grand final, but lost plenty of wickets in their previous game.
Laharum needs 205 to beat Noradjuha-toolondo in a contest that has already produced plenty of top individual performances.
Adam Barber captured 6-50 for the Mountain Men at Horsham City Oval as the Bullants navigated their way to a potentially defendable target.
Kent Hair top-scored with 61 and contributions from Josh Beddison and John Heard, both 36, were invaluable and Brendan Wills also made 26.
A game that will have no impact on the finals make-up, between Blackheath-dimboola and Colts, has also produced plenty of drama.
Blackheath-dimboola, defending 124, has Colts 7-34 at Dimboola Recreation Reserve.
Circumstances have to some extent overshadowed Homers’ one-day grand-final victory over Horsham Saints at Horsham City Oval on Sunday.
The Pigeons responded to a Saints’ score of 142 with 3-145, confirming their status as the team to beat.
Leading performances during the grand final included a half-century to Chaminda Gamage and 32 to Paddy Mills and 27 to Adam Atwood respectively for Homers. Left-arm spinner Jason Kannar also snared 4-31.
For the Saints, Cory Smith made 48 and Gary Davidson 24, and Tony Caccaviello backed up from good form from a day earlier to collect 3-18.