ST MARY’S-TYNTYNDER v NYAH DISTRICT
THE second-placed St Mary’s-Tyntynder will host the third-placed Nyah District when the SHDCA A-Grade season resumes after the two-week Christmas break this weekend.
The Saints have been the form team of the competition so far in season 2021-22 and are yet to lose a game when you include their undefeated McDonald’s T20 campaign. The Demons form on the other hand has been patchy at best, which is understandable considering the youthful nature of their line-up.
Nyah District have shown that at their best, they are more than capable of matching it with the better sides. Although Ben Shadbolt would have been disappointed to miss out on the six points, the fact that his young side were able to take their last game before the break against the reigning premiers all the way to the second last ball would have been very encouraging.
Their assignment tomorrow however will be a much bigger challenge, with St Mary’s possessing the strongest all-round bowling attack in the league, as well as perhaps the most aggressive batting line-up.
Corey Daniels and Dom Violi are genuine wicket takers, while Nathaniel Holmes-Brown and Charlie King have both shown a tremendous ability to keep things tight at the other end.
The in-form Justin Toomey, along with youngsters Mitch Grinham and Charlie Boulton, hold the key for the visitors, as the Demons must firstly bat out their 40 overs, on top of finding a way to keep the scoreboard ticking over if they want to post a defendable total.
At their best, the Saints should be far too good – although if the Demons can find a way to put 150 plus on the board, then it will well and truly be game on.
Tip – St Mary’s-Tyntynder to continue on their winning way.
WANDELLA v ULTIMA-TUF
WANDELLA will be looking to cement themselves inside the top four when they host Ultima-TUF tomorrow afternoon.
After a disappointing opening round loss to Nyah District, the Bombers found their groove before the break with a nine-wicket win against Swan Hill.
The Roodogs on the other hand would have been left frustrated after their last performance against RSL, especially with their much-vaunted batting line-up being dismissed for just 81. Skipper Kade Benfield was the only player to reach double figures on that occasion – and if Ultima-TUF want to put the first notch in their Kookaburra Cup win column, then they will need a lot more from the rest of their top and middle order.
Mitch Seton-Stewart and Ben Shepherd missed that last game and will undoubtedly strengthen their batting if both are available tomorrow.
Ryan Barnes was unstoppable with the ball for Wandella against the Swans, taking four wickets, and will once again be a key player for the Bombers. It’s not just Barnes who the Ultima-TUF boys will need to be wary of however, with Logan Keighran, Bohden McKnight and off-spinner Daniel Higgs all capable of tearing through any team with the ball.
Although they’ve shown patches of their best, the Bombers have yet to really click with the bat and have struggled to build match changing partnerships so far this season. If Greg Dickson and his team want to push deep into the season, it’s this aspect of their game that will need significant attention going forward, starting tomorrow against the Roodogs.
Tip – Wandella to take the points on their home turf.WOORINEN v SWAN HILL
WITH a spot in the top four up for grabs, the reigning premiers Woorinen will be looking to make their move against the bottom-of-the-ladder Swan Hill in the final game of round three.
The Tigers kept their Kookaburra Cup Final hopes alive prior to the break with a hard-fought two-wicket win over Nyah District, in a game that went down to the second last ball of the day. While they were made to earn the six points on that occasion, they should have no such trouble tomorrow against the Swans, who have been uncompetitive in their two games so far.
Swan Hill’s batting has been their big Achilles heel, having been bowled out for scores of just 69 and 84. They simply must find a way to put more runs on the board – and it has to come from at the top of the order, starting with their skipper Cal Noonan, Lachie Edwards and the talented Jacob Hatcher.
Giving their bowlers something to defend will be no easy feat up against Woorinen however, who have one of the league’s most consistent bowling attacks at their disposal. Guri Singh has been menacing opposition teams for years and was in sensational form with the ball before the Christmas break, while Robert Rush continues to improve with each game.
The Swans’ one big hope is to find a way to restrict Woorinen to a chasable total. The Tigers have been inconsistent with the bat at times and have struggled to build meaningful partnerships, with the exception of their last game against Nyah District. With that said, Swan Hill have also battled with the ball, and have taken just three wickets from their opening two games in the season proper.
With that in mind, it’s impossible to see any result other than a Woorinen victory.
Tip – The Tigers to break into the top four with a percentage boosting win.
