RSL v WANDELLA
RSL and Wandella will be aiming for back-to-back wins for the first time this season when the Blues host the Bombers at Gurnett Oval in a must-win clash for both teams.
After defending 140 last Saturday against Ultima-TUF, RSL will go into tomorrow’s encounter full of confidence with key players Ryan Hinton and Paul Munro in form with the bat, and Pat Caldwell also batting well after taking 5-14 against the Roodogs.
Helping the Blues cause should be the potential returns of experienced pair Stuart Patterson and Brenton Caldwell, which should help ease the pressure on Hinton and Munro.
Wandella’s only win this season also came at their last outing, with a comprehensive defeat of Woorinen on the back of a commanding all-round performance from Peter Moore, who not only took four wickets but then backed it up with an unbeaten 55 with the bat.
Moore is without doubt Wandella’s key player and the one the Blues will have to nullify tomorrow afternoon, but like RSL, the Bombers also have plenty of others who can be equally dangerous at their best.
Bohden McKnight is one who can do a job with either the bat or ball and although we haven’t seen his best in his two games this season, he is still a player to watch closely.
As are emerging stars Laing Waddingham, Nick Oliver and Samuel Copland, with Waddingham fresh off taking four wickets against the Tigers a fortnight ago, and Copland having scored an unbeaten 152 for Wandella’s B grade last weekend.
ST. MARY’S-TYNTYNDER v ULTIMA-TUF
BOTH St. Mary’s-Tyntynder and Ultima-TUF will be looking to atone for disappointing losses when the two teams clash at the Ken Harrison Reserve tomorrow afternoon.
With just one win from their first three games, the winner of tomorrow’s match will not only keep themselves in the hunt for the Kookaburra Cup final but also move into fourth spot on the ladder.
The challenge for both teams will be in hitting a winning score having so far struggled to compile a defendable score in their three games this season.
Ultima-TUF’s best performance with the bat came in their first match against Woorinen, but since then have struggled to bat out their overs and been dismissed for less than 120 when batting second.
It’s been a similar story for St. Mary’s-Tyntynder, having twice been bowled out for just over 100, including last Saturday’s heart breaking loss to Barham-Koondrook.
Despite their slow starts to the season with the bat, there’s little doubt that both teams have the talent to post a winning score.
Riley Daniels has been the key batter for the Bulldogs thus far, having scored 108 runs and top scored in all three innings for his teams this season.
Although it has been a slow start from Connor Power, Jake Foster, Austin Mckerrow and Ayden Symons, all are capable of dominating games with the bat.
Ultima-TUF also have the batters to challenge any side on their day, but need recruits Lachlan Edwards and Jacob Hatcher to find the form they showed for Swan Hill at the top of the order last season, along with experienced duo Kade Benfield and Josh Waldron.
