WITH two rounds remaining of the 2023-24 Hamilton and District Cricket Association (HDCA) A grade competition, College, Grampians, and Macarthur require two victories each (with one of these and outright result) to reach the final four and play finals.

A team receives eight-points (plus points for runs and wickets) for a first innings win, but 12-points for an outright victory (plus runs and wickets points).

Gorae-Portland v St Andrew’s

ALEXANDRA Park will be the venue for this clash between fifth-placed Gorae-Portland and second-placed St Andrew’s, with the batsmen from both teams expected to dominate the game, as it’s a hardwicket venue.

Each team enters the game with vastly different form lines; the hosts were bundled out for only 147 against Casterton District last Saturday and then was thrashed in the one-day final on Sunday where the side could only muster 51.

On the flipside, St Andrew’s knocked off ladder leader, Tyrendarra, for the second time this season (the only side to defeat the Darras), as the Drews defended its score of 8-280.

Go-Ports’ top five batsmen, Finn Saurine, Sam Roberts, Damien Compton, Stephen O’Brien, and Nick Wills, have all been in good form with the willow, but last weekend saw that form disappear, as none could manage a winning score.

The Drews’ top three have been exceptional since resuming after the Christmas break, with Brendan Huf, Michael Fitzpatrick, and Damien Logan posting big scores in each innings.

The visitor’s bowling attack is without Josh Nield and Bailey Walsh, while Jacob Hill and Simon Hatherell return to the side.

Macarthur v College

ANOTHER game that will take place on a hardwicket, this time at Macarthur Recreation Reserve, is a must-win game for both sides, as Macarthur will host College with both teams striving to reach the top four.

Both teams enter the game after losing last round, but the Demons came closest to winning with only their failing to bat out their allotted overs on day one stopping the side from winning against Portland Colts.

To hand the opposition an extra five overs from which to make the runs is a cardinal sin in any format and the Macarthur batsmen must ensure that they bat their full quota this game.

College didn’t have the runs on the board to defend against Grampians, as the Pumas hunted down the 140 needed to claim the points with five wickets in hand.

Adrian Burn missed the last round, and the Eagles will need the all-rounder back for this game if they are to keep their A grade threepeat aspirations alive.

Michael Brilley, Jack Wortley, Oliver Wortley, and Charlie Summers have all been in good touch with the bat this summer and these players need to perform again here, while Charles Murrie, Jock Barrie, Jack Austin, and Hamish Bailey must put their failure last round behind them and focus in the round 14 clash.

Portland Colts v Grampians

PORTLAND COLTS hosts Grampians at Henty Park in another game where both combatants are desperate for victory to keep finals hopes alive.

Colts sit fourth on the ladder with the Pumas occupying seventh, 16 points behind their hosts and seemingly out of the finals running, but an outright win will see the visitors vault up the ladder to bring March playoffs into contention.

Both teams enjoyed success last round with Colts holding the advantage, as the Pumas are chasing the extra points required.

Colts skipper, Luke Evans, is favourite to claim the most runs for the summer, as the only batsman to surpass 500 runs this season, and is the key wicket for the Grampians attack.

Evans is not a one-man show though, as James Chapple, Glenn Hollis, Alister Stannard, and Daniel Kinghorn are all in form, while Grampians skipper, Will Collins, along with Tom Polkinghorne, Carl Joyce, and Zach Burgess will play the same roles for the visitors.

Joyce has claimed 13 wickets in the new year, including career best figures of 7-41 last round, to rocket up the wicket takers list and he poses the biggest threat to a home team win, while O’Brien is the leading wicket-taker in the competition (one in front of Joyce) and Colts will look to its spearhead to lead the way once again.

Casterton District v Hamilton

CASTERTON District can secure its place in the finals with a victory against Hamilton at Island Park Turf today, but it won’t be easy for the Maroons, as it lost the corresponding one-day game back in round five albeit by only three runs.

The Maroons can thank a last wicket 55-run unbroken stand from Joshua Jones and Fletcher Bright that nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for getting so close in that game, after the rest of the batting order could only manage 157 between them.

Hamilton secured its second win of the season last weekend against Pigeon Ponds, as the Blues batsmen chased down the meagre 103 required for victory with six wickets in hand when the winning runs were scored.

Xavier Stevens scored 88 in a match winning performance where the young opening batsman posted his best knock of the summer to guide the Blues to victory.

The Maroons had little trouble in dismissing Gorae-Portland for only 147 to win by 87 runs, as Carey Megaw and Logan Gibbs grabbed seven wickets between them.

This will be a much stiffer task ahead of the Blues, as the Maroons are tuning up for finals and Hamilton needs its top order to fire as one if they are going to post a score they can defend.

Pigeon Ponds v Portland Tigers

PIGEON Ponds Recreation Reserve is the venue for this clash where the combatants are in vastly different form.

Ponds enters the game after losing to Hamilton last weekend where Ponds only managed to score 102 in its first innings, while the Tigers are coming off the only outright win of the summer to date against South Portland.

Unavailability of key players throughout the summer has stifled any progress the Pigeons could have hoped for this season after the side reached the finals last summer.

The home side hasn’t been able to field its best 11 in any game since that semi-final and the trend continues today.

Portland Tigers rollicked to victory against South Portland by five wickets after each captain took the chance to chase the points on offer for an outright result, with each team playing attacking cricket.

South Portland v Tyrendarra

THIS match is set down for Sunday-Saturday due to the Darras having its major fund-raising event today and play will get underway tomorrow at 10am at Cavalier Park.

The Demons were hunting outright points against the Tigers last round and the side came close to achieving its goal, while Tyrendarra was handed a shock defeat at the hands of St Andrew’s, for the second time this season.

In between this period, Tyrendarra maintained its perfect record in finals matches this season, when the side claimed the one-day shield to go along with its Portland T20 and Sungold Cup T20 successes earlier.

South may well be on the end of a Tyrendarra thrashing this round though, as the Darras look to regain its winning premiership form, but the Demons have shown they can cause an upset if they can win the key moments of a contest.