The Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade competition switches to the long format matches with the first two-day game of the 2024-25 season starting today.

In a quirk of the draw, there is only one game in Portland this round with the other five being played in Hamilton (two games), Dunkeld, Pigeon Ponds, and Macarthur.

Four of the top five teams on the ladder clash over the next two weekends, and with the selectors choosing the first representative team of the season after this round, strong performances will be sure to catch the selectors’ attention.

Ladder leader and reigning premier, Tyrendarra, will host College at Monivae Turf in one of the matches of the round, while Macarthur hosts Portland Tigers at Macarthur Recreation Reserve in another round four highlight.

Tyrendarra v College

THIS game between two undefeated teams is going to be a pointer towards the finals with Tyrendarra coming off a dominant eight-wicket victory against Gorae-Portland last round.

Cameron Mather has decided to step down as skipper of the Darras due to family and work commitments and Hamish Withers will now lead the team and he had his first foray into the role against Go-Ports and came away with the bonus point.

College had a strong victory against St Andrew’s away from home despite having to shuffle its batting order due to an injury sustained at work by Chales Murrie, which stopped him batting in his preferred opening role.

The battle between Murrie and Tyrendarra’s opening bowlers, Lachlan Kirk and Mitch Arnold, will be immense and whichever prevails will go a long way to deciding which team wins.

The batting depth of the home side is always a factor in any game and today is no exception with no weak link seemingly between number one to 11, but the Eagles have an attack that can dry up the run rate and Tyrendarra will have to be at its best to score freely.

Macarthur v Portland Tigers

PORTLAND Tigers is coming off its bye while Macarthur is back at home after thrashing Pigeon Ponds away last round, thanks to some brilliant batting from stand-in skipper, Michael Brilley, Simon Sharrock, Kyle Smitten, and Ollie Wortley, who set up a team tally of more than 300.

The Tigers are a different team to that which finished in the wrong half of the ladder last season, with the inclusion of all-rounder, Shanaka Silva, who bats at number four and now takes the new ball.

Silva is a very talented cricketer and the HDCA selectors have him firmly in their sights to fill a role for the Hurricanes this summer.

The Macarthur team is playing excellent cricket too with the top order all making runs at better than a run-a-ball pace, while Josh Belleville, Smitten, Sharrock, Wortley, and Adam Fry have formed a bowling unit that has helped the side claim two bonus-point wins already.

Grampians v Hamilton

DUNKELD Turf is the venue for this clash between two clubs that have a history of great games whenever their teams meet, but Hamilton is yet to claim a victory this season and the players would dearly love to do so against the Pumas.

Both teams are coming off defeats in round three with the home side losing to Portland Colts, despite the efforts of Eddie McShane (51) who posted a fine half century as an opening batsman.

Hamilton failed to come to grips with the Casterton District bowling attack, as three of the top four batsmen in the order made ducks and the side fell to another bonus point defeat.

With Nic Cullinane missing this week due to Over-50s Victorian team duties, Hamilton needs Mitch Lang to stand up and make a big score if the Blues hope to claim their first win of the season.

St Andrew’s v Tahara

THESE two clubs have a history of great games against each other, especially in the lower grades where the respective B grade teams seemingly met in the grand final each year.

Now that Tahara is back in the top grade after a decade long absence, the rivalry is reborn in the A grade and the home side will be desperate to post a victory.

The Drews lost at home last round against College, while Tahara posted its maiden A grade win against South Portland away from home.

The Bluecaps must enter the game with confidence and a renewed belief they belong in the top grade, as the side defended a score of only 130 with Luke Barnes and Taine Morris the chief wicket takers.

Pigeon Ponds v South Portland

IN the combined six games that these two teams have played this season, only Pigeon Ponds has managed to register a victory; in round two against Gorae-Portland, while South Portland is yet to taste success.

The synthetic surface at Pigeon Ponds Recreation Reserve will suit the batsmen of both teams, as they will have consistent bounce and pace from the surface that will allow them to play their shots with confidence,

Macarthur posted more than 300 at this ground last weekend and for each team here, it must be regarded as a par score for the long format.

South Portland captain, Scott Martin, and Pigeon Ponds all-rounder Simon Close are the two players that hold the key to success for their teams.

Both players can score heavily, and they need to be dismissed cheaply to keep the scores to a manageable level.

Portland Colts v Gorae-Portland

HENTY Park will host the clash between the undefeated Portland Colts and the winless Gorae-Portland.

Go-Ports captain Nick Wills (196 runs) and Colts opening batsman James Chapple (137) are the leading batsmen for their respective teams, and the bowlers from both teams will be desperate to dismiss them cheaply.

The home side will be looking to Luke Evans and Jak Hotchkiss to make early inroads into the visitors’ top order, while Go-Ports needs Raju Tamang and Tom Roberts to bowl well over longer spells.