Two-game swings could be decisive in ’ball

THIS weekend the Baseball Association of WP rounds off its fixtures with an intriguing double- header weekend for both their Major League and Promotion League. writes

It is in the Major League where things will hot up. Unbeaten league leaders Bellville Tygers are on the road this weekend. Today they visit Athlone A’s and tomorrow they are at Westridge Yankees.

Both Yankees and A’s find themselves in the top half of the table, fourth and fifth respectively, with both having secured six wins from their 11 games played. Securing victory against Tygers will surely help both sides cement a spot in the top six when the league splits after 18 games.

A’s will undoubtedly throw all in the “Big Guns” against Tygers in an attempt to secure a victory, with the knowledge that they travel to last- placed Helderberg Pirates tomorrow.

Yankees will relish their game today against thirdplaced VOB Macaws, who they beat in the first round. With just two points separating the two teams, a thrilling encounter can be expected. Both teams will go all out and deal with their fixtures tomorrow with whatever they have left. VOB host Bothasig in their second game.

Second-placed Bothasig Knights, who have 10 wins from 11 games, host ninthplaced Durbanville Villans, who have only secured two wins this season, today. Bothasig’s blend of experience and youth should be way too strong for the youthful Durbanville outfit.

Tomorrow Durbanville travel to Grassy Park Crusaders with a positive result in mind. Crusaders will not be easy to beat and are not in sixth place by fluke. In the first round Crusaders ground out five wins and will be hoping to add more this weekend.

They host Van Der Stel today, who they also beat in the first round. Two wins for Crusaders this weekend will see them go into the festive break in good spirits.

Van Der Stel travel to Maitland Giants tomorrow to complete their doubleheader. Giants would want to avenge their first-round defeat in Stellenbosch to keep them climbing up the league table.

Seventh- placed Giants travel to Pirates today attempting to creep into the top half. Two wins for Giants will be great heading into their mid-season break after a poor start to the season. As always with doubleheader weekends, much can change if sides pick up two wins.

In the Promotion League Battswood have an opportunity to level matters with Milnerton Mavericks who are not in action thus weekend as have a bye and have played an extra fixture.