A HUGE reward awaits Gorae-Portland if it can claim victory in round nine of the Portland and District Cricket Association A grade season Saturday.

Go-Ports will claim top spot on the ladder if they can defeat Portland Tigers at Hanlon Park.

They sit just 2.5 points behind ladder leaders Portland Colts, but with Colts having the bye this weekend, the five points allocated to the winner will be enough for them to claim top dog status.

After losing the opening round of the season Gorae-Portland has strung together five successive victories, although last week’s match against bottom side South Portland was a wake-up call.

Go-Ports snuck across the line thanks to a last wicket stand of 16 from youngsters Thomas Roberts and Kyle Parsons.

They won’t want to cut it so fine tomorrow against a much stronger side in Portland Tigers.

Five of the Gorae-Portland batsmen reached double figures last week, but none scored more than captain Zac Duncan’s 22, so the aim Saturday will be for anyone who gets a start to dig in and post a half-century.

Portland Tigers had the bye last round and will be eager to get in amongst it, having played only two matches (a win and a loss) since November 27, by virtue of the long Christmas break and byes in rounds five and eight.

Tigers have a strong bowling line-up with the likes of Joel Hollis, Paul Procter, Josh Atwell and Will Oakley, but does their batting run deep enough to consistently challenge the top sides?

The other match to be played Saturday sees South Portland host Tyrendarra.

South put up their best performance of the season last week with a couple of veterans mixed in amongst a team of young players on the way up.

Mitch Arnold and Rory Barry almost bowled their side to an upset win, while Hamish Drew, Barry, James Williams and Harri Dennert all contributed with the bat.

Saturday presents another challenge, and any side which boasts the likes of Sam and Jake Wilson, Ben Menzel, Daren Killmister and Cam Mather will be tough to beat.

Sungold Cup

Gorae-Portland heads to Warrnambool on Sunday as the PDCA’s representative in the Sungold Cup T20 competition.

The annual competition brings together the best T20 club teams from throughout the region, with eight teams still on the charge towards the winner’s cheque.

Gorae-Portland qualified for the tournament after winning the PDCA T20 competition before Christmas.

This Sunday will see the quarter-finals being played, with Go-Ports to take on Allansford at A.H. Davidson Oval at 10.30am.

The other quarter-finals see Brierly Christ Church playing Mortlake, Swifts/Great Western against College and City United against Penola.

Winners of the quarter-finals will return to Warrnambool on Australia Day (Wednesday) for semi-finals in the morning and the final in the afternoon.