By David Nagel
The stage is set for a blockbuster return to the Dandenong and District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 1 competition with Hallam Kalora Park hosting Springvale South in a top-of-the-table clash at the Hallam Rec Reserve on Saturday.
The Hawks have been licking their wounds for the best part of a month, after Buckley Ridges ended their five-game winning streak with a brilliant bowling display on the same deck as this week, just prior to Christmas.
The Hawks somehow dug themselves out of a hole against North Dandenong a week earlier, but their recent reliance on low-order revivals was never going to be sustainable.
The Hawks face the ultimate test this week against a Bloods outfit that has strength in all departments.
The reigning champs have been devastating of late, winning their last four in super-impressive fashion to regain control at the top of the ladder.
Ryan Quirk (294 runs), Jordy Wyatt (209) and Cam Forsyth (169) all sit comfortably inside the top-10 scorers in the competition – with Quirk number one – while Jarryd Straker (10 wickets), Blade Baxter (9), Yoshan Kumara (8), Jackson Sketcher (7) and Josh Dowling (7) provide variety and skill with the ball.
Straker has conceded just 119 runs from 50 overs this season and will be a key hurdle to overcome for Jordy Hammond, Leigh Booth and Jagveer Hayer if the Hawks are to return to the winners’ list.
The Hawks will rely on the wicket-taking prowess of the league’s leading wicket taker, Sachith Jayasingha (16 wickets), to limit the dangerous Bloods’ batting list.
Expect the Bloods to win and extend their margin at the top of the table.
In other games this week, Buckley Ridges will look to make it three wins on the trot when the Bucks host Parkmore, while Narre South and Berwick lock horns in a crucial clash for both clubs at Strathaird Reserve.
The loser will likely drop to the lower reaches of the ladder, while the victor will be knocking on the door of the top four at day’s end.
In the last game of round eight, two last start winners collide when bottom-placed St Mary’s host North Dandenong at Carroll Reserve.
TIPS (In Capitals): Narre South v BERWICK, Hallam Kalora Park v SPRINGVALE SOUTH, BUCKLEY RIDGES v Parkmore, St Mary’s v NORTH DANDENONG.
