WITH only two rounds remaining in the Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) A grade home and away season, all seven teams are still vying for a finals spot.

Macarthur v Casterton District

MACARTHUR Recreation Reserve will host a must-win match for both teams that holds the destiny of not only these teams but also the rest of the competition too.

Macarthur goes into the game after a bye last round, while Casterton District also had last weekend off after its game with Grampians was washed out at Dunkeld Turf.

Ollie Wortley struck a century in his last innings for the Demons, but that was back on January 14, which is the last time the batting order was in the middle with such a break not helping the continuation of form for the batsmen.

Casterton District didn’t perform at its best against Grampians with the bat, as the team was dismissed for only 152.

The side will need to ensure it uses every ball on the synthetic surface in Macarthur if it wants to post a winning score.

Rick Killey and Carey Megaw will be looking to hone their individual games, as they prepare to contest Melbourne Country Week, and the pair is vital to the Maroons’ chances with both bat and ball in hand.

Grampians v St Andrew’s

AFTER enjoying up to a 30-point lead at the top of the ladder, Grampians is now only six points ahead of Pigeon Ponds and in danger of surrendering the minor premiership, as the Pumas host the Drews at Dunkeld Turf.

While the Pumas are assured of finishing in the top two and hosting their semi-final at home, St Andrew’s needs to win both its remaining matches to reach the top four.

With last Saturday being washed out for the Pumas and St Andrew’s losing to Hamilton, the match will pit two teams desperate to get back on the ‘winning horse’ for different reasons.

Grampians wants to claim the minor premiership, while the Drews want a top four spot.

St Andrew’s batsmen must place more value on their wickets after the team was rescued from being routed by Hamilton with Darryl Fry (90-not-out) and Simon Hatherell (15).

Hamilton v College

COLLEGE returns Dahl Turf to take on Hamilton over the next two Saturdays.

Seemingly out of the race for a finals place, Hamilton revived its season with a great victory against St Andrew’s away from home last round, hunting down the target that St Andrew’s set.

The home side must rid itself of the batting collapses that have plagued the side this summer if it hopes to dominate the reigning premiers, who will be desperate to cement its place in the top four.

Mathematically, the Eagles can claim second position with an outright victory against the Blues, but they would have to score 550-600 runs and bowl the home side out twice to possibly sneak past Pigeon Ponds on the ladder.

This is the last match for College before finals, as the team has the bye in the last round, so will enter its semi-final well rested, whereas Hamilton must win its last two games to have any chance of playing come March.