Top sides in the ascendancy, mid-table battle excites

AFTER a two-week festive season break, the Baseball Association of Western Province leagues resume today.

January will see the season hot up as teams scramble for points to finish in the top six .

League leaders and defending champions Bellville Tygers (26 points) and secondplaced ( and former champions) Bothasig (24 points) are way ahead of the rest of the pack. The gap from Bothasig to the third-placed side is 10 points.

It becomes tricky in the middle of the log where Westridge Yankees, Athlone A’s and VOB Macaws have 14 points, and Maitland Giants and Grassy Park Crusaders have 12. These five teams will be vying for four spots in the top six.

Durbanville Villans and Van der Stel would need to collect a full house of 10 points and hope the middle pack above them start to falter.

Unfortunately Helderberg Pirates are condemned to the Promotion League already, having recorded only one win in13 games.

The pick of today’s games is at Parktown Sports Complex where fourth-placed Athlone A’s host VOB.

Both teams had sluggish starts to the season. VOB recovered well and went on a seven-game winning streak before a nasty December saw them lose their last three games.

The A’s season has been a stop-go affair. The team has been unable to put in consistent performances, which has restricted their progress.

The last time the two teams met, A’s blew a 6-0 lead to lose.

In the Promotion League, third- placed Thistle host log- leaders Battswood Ottery Sports Complex.

After a slow start both Battswood and Thistle have recovered well to haul in Milnerton Mavericks, who at one stage had a six-point lead.

There is a northern suburbs derby today at Abe Sher Sports Ground where Bothasig thirds host secondplaced Mavericks.

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