NORTH BALLARAT V MT CLEAR
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at Northern Oval No.2
Saturday, 3pm - twilight match with pink ball
TWO-DAY ROUND
Top team North Ballarat could hardly have had a tougher assignment on the back of its first loss of the season.
There is next to nothing between the Roosters and Mt Clear, which despite being three positions back has also dropped just one game.
Mt Clear captain Darcy Thomson said the Mounties had taken a lot out of a tight one-day victory against Darley, with some real fight.
He said that had set the tone for what was required from now one.
“The competition’s so tight. We just have to keep winning.”
Thomson said he was looking forward to playing with a pink ball in the twilight fixture.
Although Mt Clear is only one game clear of fifth-placed East Ballarat, unlike some of its nearest rivals it has a full program in the remaining four rounds, so plenty of opportunities to secure points and a spot in the top four.
Mt Clear loses handy all-rounder, with his place being taken by youngster Trav Stewart.
North Ballarat will be determined to show that defeat to Wendouree was nothing more than a one-off glitch.
The Roosters have put in a lot of groundwork with a favourable draw and are determined to show they are the real deal and can claim a big scalp.
North pacemen Adam Eddy and Ash McCafferty are sure to be eager to work some magic with the pink ball.
EAST BALLARAT V WENDOUREE
at Russell Square
Saturday, 1pm
Wendouree looks comfortable.
The Red Caps are second on percentage and two games inside the top four.
However, the concern for Wendouree is that it has two byes to come and that means only two more opportunities to get premiership points.
It is hard to imagine Wendouree missing the top four even with that scenario, but if East Ballarat can get the job done at Russell Square it might get tight.
Red Caps skipper Gavin Webb certainly does not want them testing their luck. “We need points.”
He is not underestimating East Ballarat in any sense. The Hawks have some tough assignments against Golden Point and North Ballarat to come, but they have put themselves in a position to press for finals.
Wendouree welcomes back the ever reliable Heath Pyke, a return which could not be more timely.
This match-up could easily go down to the battle between the East Ballarat attack and Wendouree’s batting depth.
East does not have the run-making power of the Red Caps and will desperately need to keep the visitors to a gettable target – possibly around the 200-mark.
Ollie Hayes is the Hawks’ leading wicket-taker ahead of captain Josh Brown and they have to lead the way with the ball, with cameos by the likes TRistant Dixon, Zac Thorne and Harli Givvens.
BALLARAT-REDAN V NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL
at Alfredton No.1
Saturday, 1pm
Wins have been all too few and far between for Ballarat-Redan and Napoleons-Sebastopol this season.
With one win apiece, neither needs to be reminded.
This will have made Naps-Sebas all the more disappointed as a club that it let slip an opportunity to claim a trophy in the twenty20 after having the game at its mercy.
It is the story of the Naps-Sebas season, but this is a chance to get a rare win.
Naps-Sebas has to go back to round three to when it last tasted success.
Ben Trew hit a ton, Liam Rigby and Will Ringin made half centuries, while a clean-hitting Anthony Taylor was also a key contributor.
Stating the obvious, that is the type of form Naps-Sebas needs from the top order again – even without Trew and Rigby this time,
It is much the same story for Ballarat-Redan, which has been steadfast in its support for youth as it looks to develop for the future.
The Two Swords were rewarded against Brown Hill and is sure to have been given a needed morale boost by that success.
It has not been easy for the likes of Taylor Sutton, Jack Riding or skipper Jayden Hayes, but they finally clicked in the one innings.
This might just be the opportunity to do it again, along with Bobby Hind. This is the challenge.
Getting the job done once is all very well, but ultimately it is all about doing week-in week-out.
GOLDEN POINT V BROWN HILL
at St Patrick's College
Saturday, 1pm
Golden Point must almost feel like it is starting its Ballarat Cricket Association firsts season all over again.
The Pointies have not played since day one of round seven on December 16.
Of course, the second day of that match at Darley was controversially called off over the condition of the pitch.
They then had a three-week Christmas-New Year break before sitting out the past two weeks with a bye.
Some players have had twenty20 games - Golden Point meets Riddell in Cricket Willow T20 final on Friday – and a hit-out in the seconds, but as a unit in the longer form there’s been nothing.
Despite this Golden Point finds itself in third spot, just half a game off top spot and comfortably inside the top four.
Meeting Brown Hill first-up is a good fit in Golden Point’s situation.
It has been a shocking season for Brown Hill, with the absence of an injured Jason Knowles early taking a toll.
The Bulls have been good in patches, but not even having one of the competition’s leading rungetters in Ryan Knowles has allowed them to get a win on the board.
Point captain Josh White said it was important to get back in the swing quickly.
He said while the long break was not ideal, he was not too concerned.
Golden Point has a testing a run home with East, Mt Clear and North to come.
