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Fight for A grade final spots

Grampians v Casterton District

MINOR premier, Grampians, hosts the match at Dunkeld Turf today and tomorrow, with club curator, Ash Read, having his wicket in pristine condition for the game.

All season long the pitch has given the batsmen and the bowlers the ability to showcase their skills and this weekend will be no different.

Casterton District snuck into the top four with victory in the last home and away game and with Grampians defeating Macarthur, allowing the Maroons to pass the Demons on the ladder.

Grampians batsmen are in great touch with the willow, as the top order has posted big totals in all bar one game since Christmas.

Will Collins and Joe Sutherland posted the highest opening partnership of the season with 165 three weeks ago, and the pair must be parted early if the Maroons are to corral the Pumas’ score to a manageable level.

With Carl Joyce, Tom Polkinghorne, Ty Gilmore, Zac Burgess and Josh Gordon in support, the Pumas have depth in their batting all through the order.

The Pumas bowlers have taken 102 wickets this summer, easily the most in the competition, with an economy rate that is also very good.

Casterton District doesn’t have the same depth within its ranks, and the side will rely heavily on its star players to perform.

Carey Megaw has been a huge recruit for the Maroons this season, with the all-rounder playing so well that he earnet a call up for representative cricket.

Megaw bowls at a surprising pace which hurries the batsman in shot selection, while he’s an attacking batsman who will come to the wicket in the middle order looking to lift the run rate.

Rick Killey is the lynchpin with both bat and ball, and the success of the side rests in his hands.

If he gets going with the willow, the Maroons will post a score of 250 or more, but he needs support from Ben Holmes, Kaden Humphries, Megaw and Kane Forbes to reach a defendable target.

Killey has switched to bowling spin this summer due to a back complaint and has been the best of the Maroons attack, while Josh Edwards, Megaw, Humphries and Fletcher Bright will be looking to dismiss the Pumas cheaply.

Pigeon Ponds v College

MOUTHWATERING is the word that springs to mind when these two teams meet in a match, but in a semi-final at Monivae College, the stakes are ramped up accordingly.

As reigning premier, College, will be desperate to win to have the chance to defend last season’s title, while the Pigeons have performed well in the later half of the season to finish second on the ladder.

Many would say that if the Eagles can dismiss Simon Close early then they should be well on the path to victory.

While that was probably true in the first half of the summer, since Christmas the top order has been more resilient with Anthony Close, Michael Close, Hamish McCrae and Peter Staude all among the runs.

Anthony and Jack Beaton have led the bowling attack, and the last time these two teams met, Close grabbed six wickets to rout the Eagles for only 135 on their own deck.

College has been one of the competition powerhouse teams for the last decade, but only has one Dundas Cup for all its hard work over that period.

The club has nurtured players like Henry Bensch and Jack Austin, with the pair set to play big roles in the club’s push for future cups.

Bensch is now an out and out new ball bowler with good pace that forces the batsmen to hurry their shots and is a more than handy lower order batsman.

The Eagles will again be looking to Hamish Bailey and Heath Schmidt to lead the way with their experience, while other veterans, Lachie Brown and Angus Brown, will stand tall in the atmosphere of the semi-final.

The depth in the College team is there for all to see, but the Pigeon Ponds players have a habit of playing above expectation against the Eagles.

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