IT’S all or nothing for five teams in the Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade competition, as the last day of the home and away season is contested today with only Tyrendarra able to plan for finals after winning the minor premiership.

Casterton District, St Andrew’s, Portland Colts, Gorae-Portland, and to a lesser degree College, are all vying for the three remaining places in the top four and no doubt won’t want the season to end today.

The first four teams listed above are separated by less than six points on the ladder, while College is a further 11 points adrift and needs an outright result to have any chance of finals qualification.

Casterton District v Pigeon Ponds

DESPITE sitting in second spot currently, Casterton District must defend its total of 188 against Pigeon Ponds to ensure it plays finals.

The Maroons posted their score on day one at Island Park Turf and will see the visitors resume on 0-2 with a further 75 overs available to hunt down the target.

Casterton District will look to its bowling attack that is the HDCA Hurricanes bowling attack from Melbourne Country Week, with Logan Gibbs, Jacob Edwards, Carey Megaw, and Rick Killey all expected to get 15-plus overs each this afternoon.

For the Pigeons, the entire batting order will be called upon to chase the required 187 runs, as the home side will apply great pressure as it strives for victory and a home semi-final.

Peter Staude, Noah Hildebrand, Anthony Close, Hamish McCrae, and Will Burbury hold the key to success for the Pigeons in a game which could go either way this afternoon.

St Andrew’s v Portland Colts

IF you had been at Clem Young Oval last Saturday afternoon and left early, you could be forgiven for thinking this match should already be over, as St Andrew’s collapsed to be 7-51 after 29 overs.

It took a brilliant 99 from Darryl Fry and a defiant 54 from Latham Wishart to lift the home side to a final tally of 9-212, which the bowlers can defend today.

Both these teams are clinging to a finals spot currently but defeat here and the result of other games will see one of them end the season prematurely.

With 570 runs from his 13 matches this summer, Luke Evans is the key to victory for both teams, as a big individual score from him will see the visitors claim the points, while an early dismissal hands the advantage to the Drews.

James Chapple is a class batsman who will be vital for the visitors at number three, while Daniel Kinghorn will also wield the willow well in the run chase.

St Andrew’s needs the entire bowling attack to work as a unit if the side is to claim the points and a resulting finals spot.

College v Gorae-Portland

AN attacking mindset from College with the bat and a better than average fielding performance from Gorae-Portland sees the visitors requiring a further 147 runs with seven wickets in hand at College Turf this afternoon.

Gorae-Portland will resume at 3-77 chasing 224 for victory, with Harvey Reynolds and Zac Stuchbery at the crease.

The top order has been dismissed in the 23 overs that the side batted for on day one, but Nick Wills, Stephen O’Brien, and Andre Wallace are all still to bat.

The Eagles need its new ball attack of Jordy Anthony and Lachie Watt to follow the lead of veteran all-rounder, Lachie Brown, who made the opposition play every ball in grabbing two late wickets on day one.

College needs an outright result where they score 300-320 runs and take all 20 wickets on offer if they have any hope of reaching fourth spot, while all Gorae-Portland requires is 147 runs to extend its season and play finals.

Hamilton v Portland Tigers

A DISAPPOINTING total of 82 was not how the Hamilton faithful would have envisaged celebrating the 300-game milestone of Anthony Read, but the Blues did fight back on day one to leave the Tigers vulnerable at 5-54 at the end of the opening day’s play.

Both teams will be keen to end the summer on a winning note, as both head into the winter break knowing finals were out of reach.

The Blues have their best attack of the summer playing with Read, Cameron Templeton, Daniel Richardson, and Hamish Cook combining well for 22 overs to claim the five Tigers wickets, but they must dismiss Will Oakley quickly if they want to win here.

Tyrendarra v Grampians

IT was Pink Stumps Day last weekend at this match, where Grampians batted well as a unit to posting 222 at Monivae Turf.

Tyrendarra will be rueing the fall of the coin that saw them have to bowl all day on the good batting surface.

Today, much will depend on whether Grampians can dismiss Cameron Mather, Jordi Withers, and Ben Menzel, who make up a formidable middle order for the Darras and have done the bulk of the team’s scoring this summer.

Grampians will be looking to Carl Joyce to carry on his incredible form with the ball this year, where he has collected 21 wickets from the past five games including three five-wickets hauls.

South Portland v Macarthur

SOUTH Portland has already claimed first innings points after routing Macarthur for only 80 at Cavalier Park on day one, before posting 3-133 by the time stumps were drawn.

There is a decision that South Portland must make before the start of play, whether to bat on and possibly see Tighe Warburton reach three figures or declare at the overnight score and send Macarthur back into bat in hope of gaining an outright victory.

Both scenarios have their merits, with individual milestones carrying much weight but the team should always come first, and outright results are very rare in the top grade.

If South Portland declare then Macarthur also has the chance to win outright should the Demons bat with an attacking mindset and give South Portland an achievable target to chase after the tea break.

Either way, both teams will end the summer today, as neither can reach the finals.