ROUND 6
TYRELL CRICKET SWANS v BEVERFORD TAVERN DEMONS12.30pm @ Swan Hill Showgrounds
WITH just one win each from their four games, both the Tyrell Cricket Swans and the Beverford Tavern Demons will be playing for pride when they meet at the Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams have shown glimpses of what they are capable of, but as yet haven’t shown their best often enough.
For the Demons, their clear weakness is with the bat, especially in this short format of the game, having passed 100 only once in their four attempts.
They simply must find a way to put the runs on the scoreboard if they want to earn the six points – and they need to score a lot quicker than they are.
Drew Lloyd and Mitch Grinham are a couple of very talented openers with a huge future, but for the Demons to post a defendable target, they have to start rotating the strike.
They may well get that chance against the Swans, with their weakness appearing to be their bowling – with the only time their attack has kept an opposition under 100 runs in an innings was last week, when the Saints passed their score of 89 with five overs remaining.
Sebastian Linssen and Cal Noonan are able to hold down an end, but it’s their third, fourth and fifth change bowlers – and their ability to keep it tight – that is the big worry for the Swans.
In what could well be another game that goes right down to the wire, it may well be the Swans ability to score quickly that see’s them post a bigger score than the Demons.
Tip – Tyrell Cricket Swans to win in a nail biter.
PHONES R US BLUES v PIZZA KITCHEN TIGERS12.30pm @ North Park – Gurnett Oval
TO say the Phones R Us Blues would be disappointed with their output so far in season 2021-22 would be a major understatement.
One of the competition favourites, the Blues have recorded just one win from their four games – and now find themselves well and truly out of the running for this year’s McDonald’s T20 decider.
It’s not about to get any easier for Ryan Hinton and his men this week, as they take on a Pizza Kitchen Tigers outfit that know this game is a must win if they want to beat the Roodogs into second spot – and a Grand Final berth.
The Tigers managed to get back on course last week, with strong wins over the Swans and Roodogs – and with Guri Singh and Darren Rushton finding form with the bat, will be a very tough proposition for the Blues.
The one advantage for the Blues is that they play their home ground better than anyone else, with their slower than normal pitch playing perfectly for their bowling attack, particularly the Caldwell boys.
With that said, it will also suit a number of the Tiger bowlers, with Stefan Mangiameli and Glenn Violi both bowling with the pace off the ball.
Although the Blues are a much tougher team at Gurnett Oval – and with Ryan Hinton and Brenton Caldwell in good touch with the bat to start the season – the Tigers should have too much to play for to let this game slip.
Tip – Pizza Kitchen Tigers to win.
STIHL SHOP ROODOGS v WDEA WORKS SAINTS12.30pm @ Alan Garden Reserve
IN what could well be a Grand Final preview, the Stihl Shop Roodogs will host the undefeated WDEA Works Saints at the Alan Garden Reserve tomorrow afternoon.
Much like the Tigers, a win is a must for the Roodogs, if they want to play off for the silverware next Friday evening, especially with the Tigers already guaranteed of six points in the final round, courtesy of the bye.
As good as Kade Benfield’s men have been though, the Saints have been equally, if not more impressive, through the opening five rounds of the competition.
As yet, no team has been able to post a score north of 100 against the Saints bowling attack, which has been led by not only Corey Daniels and Nathaniel Holmes-Brown with the new rock, but has also been well supported by Charlie King, Dom Violi and Jack Shannahan.
This game may well prove to be the Saints biggest test yet, as the Roodogs have been in irrepressible form with the bat to this point in the competition and are yet to post a score of less than 120 – and have chased two scores of 150 plus to win.
Ben Shepherd has been a valuable inclusion at the top of the order, with his ability to score quickly taking the pressure of Kade Benfield lower down the order to do the same.
Having had two games go down to the last ball of the day – and having won both of them – the Roodogs will be well placed if this encounter also turns into a nail biter.
But with the Saints showing the form they have to this stage of the season, it’s impossible to tip against them.
Tip – The WDEA Works Saints to guarantee a Grand Final spot.ROUND 7
STIHL SHOP ROODOGS v TYRELL CRICKET SWANS4.00pm @ Alan Garden Reserve
REGARDLESS of whether they win or lose to the Saints, the Stihl Shop Roodogs will most likely need to beat the Tyrell Cricket Swans in order to earn a spot in next Friday evening’s Grand Final.
With the Tigers guaranteed of six points in the final round due to having the bye, the Roodogs will either finish on the same points as the Tigers, or secure second spot – depending on results from earlier in the day.
Regardless of where they find their T20 season heading into this game, they’ll no doubt be desperate to continue their good form and take it into the season proper.
While the Roodogs have been fantastic with the bat, the worry is that they continue to leak runs with the ball.
Josh Waldron and Luke Doolan will return this week, which will help bolster their bowling attack, but they need to find some more depth to help out at the other end.
Jordan King, Cassidy Sibley and Liam Bell are all capable of filling that role and if they can all find form, the Roodogs should be able to restrict the Swans to a chaseable target.
For the Swans, this is still a very winnable game, but they will need a full team effort to get the job done.
Cal Noonan has dominated with both bat and ball, with Alan Hatcher and Lachie Edwards with the bat and Sebastian Linssen with ball providing solid support.
While the Swans are an improving outfit, it’s hard to see them defeating a team that has a potential Grand Final berth on the line.
Tip – Stihl Shop Roodogs to comfortably account for the Swans.
PHONES R US BLUES v BEVERFORD TAVERN DEMONS4.00pm @ North Park – Gurnett Oval
IN year’s gone by, this encounter would have been between two teams fighting it out at the pointy end of the ladder.
Unfortunately, neither club has as yet hit the heights of previous seasons, with both the Phones R Us Blues and Beverford Tavern Demons having a one win, three loss record heading into Saturday.
While they may not have shown it as yet, the Blues have a team that is more than capable of beating anyone on their day, particularly with a batting line-up that includes Ryan Hinton, Stuart Patterson and Brenton Caldwell.
The challenge for the Demons will be finding a way for their young bowling attack to put the brakes on the Blues aggressive batting line-up, especially if they get away to a flyer.
Drew Lloyd has gone from bowling left arm orthodox spin in previous seasons, to opening the bowling for the Demons and bowling quick, with immediate results, taking nine wickets and finding himself as the competitions leading wicket taker.
While Lloyd has led the way, he has also had more than capable back up from skipper Ben Shadbolt and emerging bowlers Charlie Boulton, Cooper Andrews and Jackson Hopkins.
While there may not be much at stake, other than pride, these two teams always go up another level against each other – and you can expect more of the same tomorrow.
Tip – Phones R Us Blues to get the six points.
WANDELLA v WDEA WORKS SAINTS7.00pm @ Swan Hill Showgrounds
THE final home-and-away game of the McDonald’s T20 season will take place under lights at the Showgrounds, with the Saints to get a look at the conditions they may well be facing in the Grand Final next Friday.
That will all depend on results from earlier in the day, but even if they go against them, they will still have the chance to secure their spot in the decider by beating Wandella.
The Bombers will be suiting up for their first game of the afternoon, having had the bye for round six, and will enter the game with fresh legs.
Toby Gray looms as the key man for Wandella with the bat, having posted scores of 38 and 46 last weekend to be the Bombers leading run scorer in both games.
If Wandella are to cause an upset against the Saints though, Gray will need more support from his teammates – especially as they are coming up against the best bowling attack in the SHDCA.
With the form the Saints have been in to start the season, it’s impossible to tip against them – and I’m not about to start doing the impossible now.
Tip – The WDEA Works Saints to go through the home-and-away season undefeated.
