Barham-Koondrook v Ultima-TUF
ULTIMA-TUF will be out to show they are the real deal this season when they take on Barham-Koondrook tomorrow afternoon.
After an emphatic win last Saturday over Woorinen, the Roodogs will go into their match against the Raiders as favourites, a position largely foreign to a team which has been rebuilding for the best part of a decade.
Adding to Ultima-TUF’s momentum will be the inclusion of Jacob Hatcher, with the former Swan Hill opener further strengthening an already talented batting line-up that passed the Tigers total without loss last weekend.
Where Hatcher slots into the Roodogs order will be the big question, with Charlie Kingwill and Lachlan Edwards’ unbeaten 89 run partnership last Saturday setting a high standard that should see them continue at the top of the order.
Tomorrow’s encounter with Barham-Koondrook will be a much tougher test however, despite the Raiders falling 72 runs short of chasing down Nyah District’s target last weekend.
The challenge for the Raiders will be with the ball, having bowled too loose at times against the Demons and giving away too many easy runs.
While Jayden Hall and the Lolicato brothers Garry and Warren are all quality bowlers, it’s their fourth and fifth options where the problem laid last Saturday, along with the inability to build partnerships with the bat, with consistent wickets plaguing their ability to chase down Nyah District’s total.
If they can rectify those areas of concern, the Raiders could well surprise on their home deck, and a venue that doesn’t hold great memories for Ultima-TUF after a nine-wicket loss last season.
RSL v Nyah District
RSL will be chasing their first win of the season when they host reigning premiers Nyah District at Gurnett Oval this weekend.
Although the Blues will be aiming to secure their first points, the Demons will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the season, with the ladder leaders finding themselves a game clear on top of the ladder after the first two rounds.
Nyah District will be far from full strength despite the return of captain Ben Shadbolt, with top order batsmen Jacob Lister and Dean Harrop expected to miss tomorrow’s encounter.
Despite their absence, the Demons batting line-up still looks dangerous, with Charlie Boulton, Max Thompson and Mitchell Grinham, who plundered a match-winning 97 last week against the Raiders, all in-form and capable of turning a game off their bat.
The Blues can be equally devastating with the bat however, with Ryan Hinton showing that he is still the wicket every team craves after carrying his bat and top scoring with an unbeaten 53 off 96 balls in their round 1 loss to Barham-Koondrook.
Hinton isn’t the only batsman who has the potential to cause the Demons headaches, with Stuart Patterson and Brenton Caldwell also among the leagues elite top order hitters.
The challenge for RSL will be in taking 10 wickets however, with the Blues relying heavily on Oscar Hier and both Brenton and Pat Caldwell with the ball.
