Tigers in four
In a ‘catch up’ match in Grampians Cricket Association at the weekend, Pomonal shored up its position in the top four by narrowly defeating Halls Gap.
Batting first at Halls Gap, the Gappers scored a respectable 9-182 with the main contributors Charlie Mcintosh, 46, Josef Martin, 47, and Riley Thomas, 33 not out.
The Tigers’ turn at the crease saw them overtake the Gappers’ score with three overs to spare and seven wickets down.
Best of the Gappers bowlers was again young Toby Ripper with 3-53.
Association rounds return to normal on Saturday with three matches.
It might look a bit predictable with the top three playing the bottom three, but cricket has always been a fickle game.
Chalambar is at home to Buangor-tatyoon in a game the home side would dearly love to win.
Chalambar’s runs have come from Reece Kettle and Sam Pilgrim this season. If these players can receive some support from other batsmen, and come up with a score Luke Walker, Matt Mckinnis and others can bowl to, they might make life difficult for the Hawks.
The Hawks have showed they are capable of trouncing opponents, mainly due to Jacob Bates, Michel Harricks and James Phillips, having a break-out year with both bat and ball, all in good form.
Youth Club hosts Pomonal at Stawell’s Central Park and can all but guarantee a finals birth with a victory.
While the Clubbers got out of jail last match with a 50-run last-wicket partnership, they cannot rely on something similar to happen this week.
Captain Nic Baird has led the way with both bat and ball for the Clubbers this season, so the Tigers will target his wicket.
The Tigers’ batting needs to gain consistency to assist the bowlers, who are carrying the team at the moment.
In the final match, Swifts-great Western travels to Halls Gap.
The side is not in its best form, although the 182-run innings in its last match showed promise of better things.
Charlie Mcintosh, Josef Martin and Luke Walker could all provide headaches’ for the Combine.
But the Combine provides its own worries for the Gappers in Sam Cocks, the Eckel brothers and Matt Heffer, all of whom have made runs against the Gappers in the past. This week: Chalambar v Buangor-tatyoon at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval, Youth Club v Pomonal, Central Park, Stawell, Halls Gap v Swifts-great Western. Last week: Pomonal 7-184 (T. Ripper 3-53) d Halls Gap 9-182 (J. Martin 47, C. Mcintosh 46, R. Thomas 33no). Ladder: Buangor-tatyoon 51 points, 1.95 percent; Swifts-great Western 42, 2.07; Youth Club 30, 1.18; Pomonal 24, 0.62; Chalambar 12, 0.57; Halls Gap 12, 0.53.