THE penultimate Swan Hill District Cricket Association round on Saturday features a number of teams hoping to pick up late-season wins.
One of those is Murrabit, who have found it tough going in their first season in the association, only beating a team placed above them in the ladder once this season.
The Blues have shown they can win the games expected of them, claiming two wins against both Swan Hill and Ultima TUF.
Facing new and unfamiliar opposition, they have also experienced a handful of narrow defeats.
Murrabit captain Nathan Henry said that while they hadn’t performed as well as they’d hoped, the season had been enjoyable.
“We’ve come into a competition where we didn’t really know many of the opponents,” he said.
“Obviously we played against Wandella previously, but everyone else is new to us from an A Grade point of view.
“We’ve found the opposition batsmen to be quite aggressive regardless of the format.
“I think that we’ve been competitive in quite a few of our games that we’ve been right in and just missed out.
“Being able to field three teams, A Grade, B Grade and C Grade, was a fairly significant achievement for us.”
Murrabit have been forced to move a number of players up grades as they look to fill their A Grade side.
Henry said a number of the fresh faces impressed throughout the season.
“Our sides have been quite different each week unfortunately,” he said.
“We’ve had the chance to bring a number of young players through.
“We’ve had Zeb Hein play quite a few games, and then our most recent one is young James McDonald, who’s a really good wicketkeeper.
“James has played the last three games in the A Grade and is doing really well with the gloves.”
Throughout the year, Murrabit’s top order have failed to fire to the best of their abilities, but they may have played themselves back into form in last week’s defeat to Woorinen.
Three of the Blues’ first four bats scored over 25 runs, while Toby Gray top-scored with 39 and took the pressure off their side’s lower order.
But the Tiger bats took the Murrabit bowling attack to task, all four of their young bowling quartet going for more than a run a ball.
With the bye next week, Murrabit will hope to close out their first SHDCA season on a high note, as they take on the league’s other Blues, RSL.
“We’ve played the top four sides in the last four weeks, which has come to bite us a little bit at the end of the season,” Henry said.
“We’ve got RSL again this weekend, which is someone that’s a bit closer to us on the ladder, so it should be a fairly good tussle.
“We will just try and bowl one side of the wicket and set our field to that.
“We want to finish with a win, that’s the plan.”
RSL sit one place higher, with two more wins in one less game, including an opening-game win against Murrabit.
A season marred by unavailability and injuries, RSL are set to miss out on a spot in the finals but come into the final two games well rested after a bye.
It’s been a year for brining youngsters into the fray for RSL, who have remained mid-table for much of the season.
In the round’s other matches, Wandella will be hoping for a win against Barham Koondrook, as the Bombers aim to keep hold of third spot.
The two sides have been consistent performers throughout the season, with Wandella’s bowling attack taking a few sides by surprise.
But the Raiders bowlers are no slouches, and the likes of Warren Lolicato and Lance Davidson have the ability to score freely.
Wandella will be hoping for early runs, whether setting or chasing a total, and will look to Samuel Copland and Luke Murray to provide them.
Big hitters Woorinen host Ultima TUF in a match that could have finals ramifications for the Tigers.
Currently in fourth place, a win and positive final-round results could leapfrog the Tigers into third.
Ultima TUF are playing for a bit of late-season pride, hunting their third win.
Early wickets will be key if Ultima want to cause an upset, but the likes of Jordan King and Cassidy Sibley can turn up the pressure.
A second-v-ninth match-up looms at Ken Harrison Reserve, where St Mary’s Tyntynder take on Swan Hill.
St Mary’s will be chasing a big win in the hopes of a final round slip-up from the ladder leaders, Nyah District, who have the bye this week.
