By One Short

Grampians Cricket Association resumes on Saturday with matches between Youth Club and Swifts-Great Western at Central Park and Pomonal taking on Buangor-Tatyoon at Alexandra Oval.

St Andrews has the bye. 

The Christmas break saw Swifts-Great Western, 24, on top of the ladder, three points ahead of Buangor-Tatyoon, 21, followed by Youth Club and St Andrews on 12 points each. Pomonal is on nine points, just three points adrift. 

The Combine, leading the rankings, will be keen to maintain that position and likely will do so until round 14, when it again plays Buangor-Tatyoon. 

Youth Club’s match against Swifts-Great Western is a crucial game for the Clubbers, as a loss places it in jeopardy of dropping out of the four should Pomonal defeat Buangor-Tatyoon. 

The match is a replay of last year’s final, but since that time the Clubbers appear to have lost their mojo while the Combine has gained strength. 

The Clubbers’ batting hinges on the form of skipper Nic Baird, who so far has failed to replicate last year’s stellar season.

The Clubbers will need him to be firing along with Koby Stewart and Cam Kimber to post a competitive score against Combine bowlers Jamie Bach, Jay Moody and Matt Heffer, all of whom feature in the top-five wicket takers.  Clubbers bowlers Baird, Kimber and Clinton Slorach must restrict Combine batsmen Sam Cocks, Tom Eckel and Ricky Peters, whose average stands at an amazing 156, to win the game. 

At Ararat’s Alexandra Oval, Pomonal will be trying to replicate its last round win, while Buangor-Tatyoon will attempt to bounce back with a victory. 

Ladder positions would suggest the Hawks should go in favourite against the Tigers, with batsmen James Phillips, Jarrod Blandford and Michael Harricks having an edge over Lynden Brewis, Clayton Mackley and the hero of their last win Lachlan Dalkin, but if Pomonal can manage a win, it will go a long way to securing a finals berth. 

Last week Grampians Cricket Association played in the under-15 and under-13 Central Highlands Junior Country Week competition, with the under-15 team reaching the final only to be beaten by Ballarat. 

The best Grampians performers were Hayden Dowling with the bat and Brad Carter with the ball. 

The under-13 team finished fifth after defeating Ballarat in a semi-final.

Grampians was best served by Brady McMahon batting and Harry Evans bowling.

This week is the under-17 Kirton Shield competition.

The entire January 13, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!