By David Nagel
Pakenham knocked Kooweerup from the top of the WGCA Premier Division tree last week and will look to do likewise to Tooradin when the two teams collide at a magnificent Toomuc Reserve on Saturday.
The Lions’ eight-wicket win was performed with such ease and efficiency that it’s hard to ignore them anymore as a genuine premiership threat.
Skipper Dale Tormey returned to form with a patient but stylish half-century, while the re-emergence of Zac Chaplin has given the Lions a real boost in substance.
Seven wins on the trot, players returning to form, the highest percentage in the competition …it appears the Lions are timing their run to perfection.
But Tormey and his boys face another daunting task this week, with the Seagulls tasting defeat just once throughout the season.
The Gulls appear to well-balance on paper, but have only one player – skipper Cal O’Hare – on the 200-plus-run list.
The Seagulls’ champion has made 398 runs at the impressive average of 56.86…with his last six visits to the crease producing 375 runs at exactly 75!
Its impressive stuff, with O’Hare looking to pass the 500-run mark for the first time in his career!
Tormey is fully aware of the danger that exists, but is also happy to have the Lions own top-scorer – Chris Smith – back in action after attending a wedding last week.
“It’s massive, every game at the moment is like a final and we actually looked at the fixture at the start of the year and thought there’s no better way of entering finals than playing the other best teams in the competition,” he said.
“Tooradin is going to be up and about and fighting for it this week because they want top spot and a home final.
“Cal’s obviously in good form, he got a hundred on the weekend, but we’re up for it, with Smithy back, it’s a great test, and we’ll want to put on a good show for the large crowd that will be there for Pink Ladies Day.
“It will be a good game, played at a good standard, and we can’t wait to test ourselves against another good team in the competition.”
We’ll go for the Seagulls in a close one!
Another interesting contest will take place at Barton Reserve, where fifth-placed Merinda Park welcomes reigning premier and currently fourth-placed Cardinia.
Win this and the Cobras are a realistic chance of grabbing fourth place, but a loss will condemn them to the status of also-rans.
The Cobras are a free-scoring side with Dan McCalman (323), Thuduwage Kumara (314), Cambell Bryan (265) and Manu Goraya (265) all in the top-dozen players in the competition.
The Cobras just lack a bit of depth with the Kookaburra…and that’s cost them this season.
The Bulls have been relying heavily on a solid month of cricket from Alex Nooy, a fruitful fortnight from Jake Prosser, but some other top-order bats have been a little inconsistent of late.
But the Bulls will lock in fourth place – and a chance to defend their title – with a solid win.
Carlisle Park is craving its first win of the season and the Vikings will fancy their chances of enjoying that rare winning feeling against Clyde.
The Vikings are not your usual cellar-dwellers.
They’ve been competitive for most of the season and right now have two of the in-form players in the competition.
Ravi Kodithuwakku (486) is nearing 500 runs for the season and with scores of 60, 76, 107 and 52 over the last month is in rare touch. Anurudda Fonseka (280) is coming off scores of 53 and 83 over the past fortnight and is another player the Cougars will need to watch out for.
The Cougars haven’t tasted success since round four…and would appear ripe for the picking.
Their opponent last week, Cranbourne Meadows, forfeited, leaving the Cougars to sit on the sidelines.
If Matt Aslett, Liam Bennett or Daniel Lever can get Kodithuwakku early – the Cougars should win in a breeze.
But we’ll go for Kodithuwakku to waltz past 500, then 550…and lead the Vikings to a winning score.
And Kooweerup will look to tidy up its manners when the Demons host Cranbourne Meadows at Denhams Road.
The Demons looked a bit scruffy last week, like their game needs a hair-cut and shave, as they threw away late wickets without seemingly a care in the world.
They’ll tidy things up, there’s no doubt about that, but last week’s performance was very un-Kooweerup-like indeed.
Spinner Matt Bright was superb, bowling four maidens in his eight-over spell against Pakenham, in one of the Demons only real wins for the day.
Cranny Meadows has forfeited its last two games due to Covid, with up to six players being unavailable over the last fortnight.
Hopefully the Rebels are on the mend and they can challenge one of the better teams in the competition.
But it’s the Demons to get the chocolates!
Ladder: Tooradin 108, Kooweerup 102, Pakenham 90, Cardinia 78, Merinda Park 60, Clyde 42, Cranbourne Meadows 42, Carlisle Park 6.
This week’s tips: Pakenham v TOORADIN, Merinda Park v CARDINIA, Clyde v CARLISLE PARK, KOOWEERUP v Cranbourne Meadows.
