WHEN the Hamilton and District Cricket Association announced its B and C grades would be combined for this season, many were fearful of how the situation would play out.

Now that the 11 teams in the grade have reached the Christmas break, all teams are still in the hunt to play in either the B grade or C grade finals come the end of the home and away season.

Of course, the weather hasn’t been kind to the lower grades with the first six rounds of the season washed out, but since play resumed on November 26, there has been four matches played where the players have quickly made up for lost time.

St Andrew’s leads the way atop the ladder from Tahara as the only undefeated teams after those four rounds and may well meet in a rematch of last year’s B grade final, but St Andrew’s Saints in third place and College Eagles in fourth may have something to say about this.

Teams that finish fifth through eighth will play for the C grade title and even though Hamilton and College are yet to win a match, they are both still capable of gaining a place in the C grade finals.

At present, Hamilton North is on the fifth rung of the ladder, thanks to the incredible form of Darren Groves (three centuries in the first half of the season) and Sam Groves, who has been his father’s batting partner at the top of the order.

The pair posted an incredible 209 for the first wicket against Casterton District last Saturday to defeat their opponents by 10 wickets, but any opposing team that has dismissed the Groves’ early, has run through the rest of the order easily.

Grampians is sitting in sixth and is another team riding on the coat tails of a veteran player, as Greg Millard continues to plunder runs at the top of the order.

The veteran opening batsman needs support if the Pumas are going to add another title to the trophy cabinet though.

Byaduk sit precariously in eighth place with only one win to its credit so far, and to ensure the Ducks play C grade finals, they must win at least four of the remaining eight rounds.

The victory against Casterton District was a shot in the arm for the side that has struggled to claim victory over the past few summers, but when the Ducks get their full contingent of players on the park, they can defeat any team.

Casterton District suffered an exodus of players over the off-season, which has left the depth of the club slightly behind where it was at the same stage last summer.

Yet to win a match this summer, the Maroons were close last Saturday after posting more than 200 runs at Melville Oval, only to be run down in the final over of the day with Mark Penny and Jedd Rhook each passing 70.

Casterton District played off for the C grade flag last summer and there is still time for the side to repeat this performance this season, but the side must win at least four of its remaining games to stand a chance.

College has two teams in this grade, along with St Andrew’s, whereas both Drews’ teams are flying high, the second College team is struggling.

Having players missing for various reasons over the course of the summer has cruelled the club’s ambitions this season, and if those players that committed to play before the start of the season don’t return after the break, then the team will continue to struggle.

Hamilton finds itself at the wrong end of the ladder, but remains a chance of playing the C grade finals if the team can also post the magical four victories in the remaining eight rounds.

Of the four games the side has played since resumption, its played three of the current top four sides which is a quirk of the draw.

In the six washed out rounds, Hamilton was due to play many of those sides scrambling for a place in the C grade finals, which are more at the level that the Blues are at and may well have seen the side post a few wins.

This is a proud club and this dip in form is only temporary with better times ahead in the new year.

D grade midseason reviews will be in next Saturday’s Spec.