ULTIMA-TUF v RSL
ULTIMA-TUF will be out to return to the winner’s list and keep their Kookaburra Cup final hopes alive in the process when they host winless RSL at the Alan Garden Reserve this weekend.
Having defeated Woorinen in emphatic fashion two weeks ago, the Roodogs fell agonisingly close to making it two wins on the trot against the Raiders last Saturday.
Although they may not have earned the six points, they did prove to the rest of the SHDCA that they may well be the real deal this season, with a deep and powerful batting line-up now matched by a dangerous bowling attack.
That Ultima-TUF has dismissed both Woorinen and Barham-Koondrook in 30 overs or less in both games this season proves that their young attack is ready to take the next step, with Josh Waldron (five wickets), Cassidy Sibley (four wickets) and Lleyton Purcell (four wickets) leading the way.
Having switched clubs from the Blues at the beginning of this season, Purcell is sure to receive a friendly welcome from his former teammates, with Ryan Hinton and Paul Munro both coming into the match in good form at the top of the order for RSL.
It’s from their middle order where the Blues are needing more of a contribution however, with Brenton Caldwell and Stuart Patterson both capable of impacting with the bat and needing to if their team is to post a defendable total.
RSL will also need to improve with the ball, having conceded 247 runs in their loss to Nyah District last Saturday.
WOORINEN v NYAH DISTRICT
ANYTHING less than victory on Saturday afternoon will see Woorinen eliminated from the Kookaburra Cup grand final race, with the Tigers set to host reigning premiers Nyah District.
Having defeated St. Mary’s-Tyntynder in their opening match of the season, the Tigers subsequently lost to both Ultima-TUF and Wandella, leaving them with no margin for error over their final three games of the one-day competition.
The Demons on the other hand sit a game clear atop of the Kookaburra Cup ladder, but despite their strong start to the season, will go into Saturday’s game under some pressure with century-maker Joel Walsh and young bowlers Max Thompson and Ethan Curran set to miss Saturday’s must-win clash.
The absence of Walsh will be offset by the returns of Dean Harrop and Jacob Lister, but it’s with the ball where Nyah District could find themselves under pressure, especially against an aggressive Woorinen batting line-up.
The Tigers are a team that like to take the game on, with Darren Rushton, Mitchell Uhlhorn, Dean Morpeth and Cooper Fox all capable of scoring big runs and scoring them quickly.
The challenge for the home side could come from being able to contain Nyah District’s batting line-up, especially their openers Mitchell Grinham and Charlie Boulton, with the pair having put on 44 and 66 for the opening partnership over the past two matches.
Although Boulton is one of the most talented opening batters in the association, it’s Grinham who has been in career best form, having scored 144 runs at 77.0 over his past two games.
