By Marcus Uhe
We may look back on Hallam Kalora Park’s visit to North Dandenong this weekend as one of the defining games of the Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 season.
The round 12 match-up pits fifth against sixth, and could see the winner climb as high as third, depending on other results around the competition.
The Hawks are riding high following an important win over Buckley Ridges, and appear to have turned a metaphorical corner since being smacked by Springvale South in the opening game after the Christmas break.
North Dandenong, however, has suffered the opposite fate, relinquishing its status as one of the competition’s form sides heading into the break, with three straight losses.
Hawks seamer Lauchlan Gregson is one the competition’s form players, having taken 10 wickets since Christmas.
His contest with Jawid Khan at the top of the North Dandenong batting card will attract eyeballs, with Khan shouldering plenty of responsibility for the Maroons with the bat.
Narre South will be desperate to cling on to third place, but face a serious test in the form of second-placed Berwick.
The Lions have been there or thereabouts in a number of games against sides who were ranked higher than them on the table, but are yet to defeat a true contender this season.
Home conditions should favour the Lions, and after a quiet second day against St Mary’s last week, their stellar bowling group should be refreshed and ready to go.
It’s their batting that will swing the contest against the highest wicket taking quartet in the competition of Jarrod Goodes, Lachlan Brown, Corey Bevan and Elliot Matthews.
Elsewhere, Beaconsfield will be hoping to keep its slim finals chances alive against St Mary’s at home.
With St Mary’s now destined for relegation and with little to play for in the remainder of the season, Beaconsfield will no-doubt be eyeing maximum points from the contest to return them squarely to finals calculations.
Meanwhile, Springvale South and Buckley Ridges will finally go toe-to-toe in a long-awaited grand final rematch at Park Oval.
TIPS: Narre South v BERWICK, BEACONSFIELD v St Mary’s, North Dandenong v HALLAM KALORA PARK, SPRINGVALE SOUTH v Buckley Ridges.
