WITH only two more rounds to go before Swan HIll District A grade finals, it serendipitously unfolded that Round 13 saw first play second, third lock horns with fourth and fifth match up against sixth.
In what turned out to be a round of notable results, Woorinen dismantled St Mary’s Tyntynder in their top two clash, while RSL and Swan Hill significantly improved their finals chances.
In the biggest match-up of the round, second-placed Woorinen shocked league-leaders St Mary’s Tyntynder at their home ground, Ken Harrison Reserve.
Spurred on by the return of bowler Kade Groat, Woorinen managed to cut the lead the Saints had over them down to five points.
They got off to the worst possible start to the match, however, when they found themselves at 5/35 with most of their top order back in the shed.
Dean Morpeth showed why he came in at number six by providing a clinic on how to bat while supporting a tail end.
Morpeth went on to finish up on 65 not out, while the tail wagged around him, Stephen Lyons making a brilliant contribution of 43.
The Tigers finished on 182, Corey Daniels leading the Saints’ bowling line up with 5/60 — his second five-wicket haul for the season.
Then their bowlers, led on by Kade Groat, who was making his first appearance of the season, struck the Saints down for 152 — Groat was the pick of the bunch with 3/35.
If they can manage a couple more first innings wins in their next two clashes against Nyah District and Swan Hill, and the Saints fumble once more to either RSL or Swan Hill, the Tigers could see themselves in top spot come March.
RSL jumped into third with a first innings victory over Nyah District at Nyah Recreation Reserve.
Half centuries to Brenton Caldwell (53), Stuart Patterson (69) and Dwayne Hinton (53) helped the Blues to 217.
Michael Kadar (4/42) and Joel Walsh (4/31) both nabbed four wickets for the Demons.
The Caldwells, Brenton and Patrick, then tore through the Nyah battling outfit to help bowl them out for 68, both finishing on 5/27.
Forced to bat again, the Demons were on the ropes once more at 6/15, but they held on without losing all their wickets, finishing on 8/90.
RSL only took six points from the match when they could have had more, but it was still enough to jump three points clear of Nyah into third.
Meanwhile, Swan Hill gave itself every chance of finishing in the top four, claiming an outright win over last-placed Ultima TUF.
Matt Lanigan grabbed eight wickets for the match as the Swans bowled UTUF out in both their innings.
UTUF managed 182 runs for the whole game with their first innings total of 59 and second innings’ 133.
The Swans chased this down with seven wickets in hand, following up their first innings score of 8/109 with 3/84.
The 10 points puts Swan Hill on 37, just two points shy of fourth-placed Nyah District on 39, and five off of third-spot RSL on 42.
