Ultima-TUF v Woorinen
A NEW look Ultima-TUF will step out for the first time this season when they host a rejuvenated Woorinen at the Alan Garden Reserve Saturday afternoon.
After enjoying the bye last Saturday, the Roodogs will be keen to get their campaign underway, with a much-improved season expected after an influx of players over the off-season.
Swan Hill trio Lachlan Edwards, Jacob Hatcher and Ian Schodde have crossed Pritchard Street this year, while RSL opening bowler Lleyton Purcell will also pull on the red, blue and white after also changing clubs.
Their inclusions will give Ultima-TUF more depth to their best 11, with Edwards and Hatcher capable of scoring runs consistently and quickly when at the peak of their powers.
The Roodogs batting looks to be their big strength, with Kade Benfield, Mitch Seton-Stewart and Kyle Symons also returning, along with Josh Waldron and Jordan King to give the home side plenty of firepower against the Tigers.
Woorinen on the other hand will go into Saturday’s match full of confidence having beaten grand finalists St. Mary’s-Tyntynder last Saturday after bowling the Bulldogs out for just 108 runs.
All the key players for the Tigers were amongst the wicket takers, including Robert Rush (three wickets), Darren Rushton (two wickets) and Guri Singh (one wicket), while youngster Jackson Hughes also impressed taking two wickets also.
Where Woorinen will be hoping to improve, however, is with the bat, having made hard work of the modest chase after passing the Bulldogs six down.
While the Tigers have plenty of class with the bat, they will need to perform at a higher level against the Roodogs, who will be hoping to match Woorinen’s aggressive batting with an attacking style of their own.
Wandella v St. Mary’s-Tyntynder
LAST year’s finalists Wandella and St. Mary’s-Tyntynder will be searching for an improved performance when the two teams clash at Riverside Park Saturday afternoon.
Both the Bombers and Bulldogs begun their 2024-25 campaign with defeats last Saturday, with Wandella outclassed with both bat and ball against Nyah District and St. Mary’s-Tyntynder bowled out for just 108 in their loss to Woorinen.
With early wins seen as vital in such an even competition this season, both clubs will be desperate to atone for last Saturday’s disappointing results.
They will both have to do so without their captains, however, with Wandella’s Ryan Barnes missing his team’s loss to the Demons due to injury, along with Kyle Hodges, while Nathaniel Holmes-Brown will be an omission for the Bulldogs after taking two wickets against the Tigers.
Although Barnes will be missing for a few more weeks, the Bombers bowling attack is set for a boost with the inclusions of Bohden McKnight, Laing Waddingham and wicket keeper Flynn McKnight.
While their inclusions should produce a more competitive performance with the ball, it’s with the bat where they will need to improve on last Saturday, with top four batsmen Peter Moore, Sam Copland and Daniel Higgs contributing just two runs between them.
The same can be said of St. Mary’s-Tyntynder, with Riley Daniels (47) and Jacson Stewart (10) the only Bulldogs to register double figures.
