By Marcus Uhe
Thirteen rounds of action in Dandenong District Cricket Association’s Turf 1 competition have boiled down to a handful of juicy fixtures in the final week with plenty up for grabs.
Of upmost importance is a replay of a one-wicket thriller between Buckley Ridges and Narre South that will have an enormous bearing on who secures not only second place and the all-important double chance, but who will likely finish fourth, and face an away elimination final.
That is, unless Berwick upset Springvale South, in which the loser could fall out of the four altogether.
Narre South holds second heading into the weekend, but only by a point, and will cede the advantage to the home side in a loss.
Two of the form teams in the competition will offer an intriguing contest, a chance for Narre South to prove that recent results against highly-fancied sides in Berwick and Springvale South weren’t flukes.
Buckley Ridges, however, are extremely hard to beat at home, and have finally settled on an XI they feel can challenge for the flag.
Their batters are firing on all cylinders at an ideal time, but face the best bowling trio in the league of Alex Cruickshank, Callan Tout and Jeevan Mendis, none of which will be overly familiar with Park Oval.
Second place is also in-play for Hallam Kalora Park, if they do what is expected in knocking-off a resurgent St Mary’s, and playing conditions or wet weather at Park Oval’s clash sees the points shared.
It’s an outside chance, but a chance nonetheless.
Berwick can climb back into the four but only if they get the better of Springvale South at home.
Narre South and Buckley Ridges have proved it’s possible in the last fortnight, but it will be a big ask, and almost unfathomable to think of the Bloods losing three weeks in a row.
North Dandenong and Beaconsfield will play what will effectively be a ‘dead-rubber’ in regards to finals calculations, but it’s not a clash either side would wish to lose.
Relegation is still a chance for Beaconsfield, should they lose, and St Mary’s win and jump them on percentage, but with the Saints facing Hallam Kalora Park, the Tigers should be safe.
North Dandenong, for its part, will not want to finish the season on a six-game losing streak.
Tips: BUCKLEY RIDGES v Narre South, Berwick v SPRINGVALE SOUTH, HALLAM KALORA PARK v St Mary’s, Beaconsfield v NORTH DANDENONG.
