WITH one day remaining before the Hamilton and District Cricket Association goes into the Christmas-new year hiatus, all six games today have a bearing on not only the premiership ladder but also the one-day ladder, as the teams revert to the shorter format to end 2024.

Realistically there are five teams that are still in the hunt for a top two finish and a place in the Australia Day final.

Tyrendarra, Portland Tigers, Portland Colts, Macarthur, and College all have their collective eyes on playing the final and they must win the next two rounds to have any chance of winning a spot in the final.

Top of the ladder Tyrendarra has the toughest draw with games against Portland Colts (third) and Portland Tigers (second) to come for the reigning premiers to have the chance to defend its title.

Macarthur v Tahara

MACARTHUR is fourth on the one-day ladder and third on the premiership ladder and the Demons hosts Tahara at Macarthur Recreation Reserve, knowing they it must win both the last two one-day rounds to qualify for the final.

The Demons are in sparkling form and the side routed Grampians last round for only 88 to claim a 146-run victory in a game that was expected to be much closer.

Ollie Wortley was outstanding with bat and ball in hand, as he top-scored with 56 and then backed it up by taking 5-6 with his leg spin bowling.

His brother, Hamish, slotted back into the team as if he had been there all summer long with 43 runs in support.

Tahara has struggled in its first season back in the top grade and no one could have expected the Blue Caps to be at the pointy end of the ladder, but the side is showing improvement, as the players learn how to play against the best players in the association.

The side was well beaten by Portland Colts last round, but with this game being played on the synthetic surface at Macarthur, the batsmen will be better suited to constant pace and bounce such surfaces offer.

Hamilton v St Andrew’s

DAHL Turf is the venue for the annual Christmas Plate clash between the two clubs at this time of the season, and the Hamilton team will rise for the challenge posed by the visitors.

The Blues haven’t registered victory to date this summer, but the club is promoting its youngsters into the top grade with an eye on developing them for the future.

Nic Cullinane will return to the top of the order today after being away for the last two months on representative duties, and he comes back into the line up in form after smacking an undefeated 58 in B grade last Saturday.

He is expected to open the batting with Xavier Stevens who has improved his strike rate as the summer has progressed, and the pair must look to score from every ball where possible (as do the rest of the batting order).

St Andrew’s flexed its depth within its batting order against Pigeon Ponds last Saturday, as veteran batsman, Darryl Fry, posted 75 to lead the hunt of the Pigeons target.

The Drews appear to be at full strength with the return of Michael Fitzpatrick to the opening position, as he and Brendan Huf resume their prolific partnership.

Grampians v Pigeon Ponds

THIS game is between two teams that come go the match at Dunkeld Turf with losing form, although Pigeon Ponds was far better than its hosts last weekend.

The Pumas were thrashed by Macarthur and the Pigeons should have defeated St Andrew’s after having the upper hand for much of the match, only to be run down late in the game.

The home side needs Donald Collins to return to the great form that has seen him post consecutive centuries in rounds five and six, while Carl Joyce is yet to hit peak form with the bat and is due to shake off his slump.

Ben Hanrahan has been an outstanding recruit for the visitors this season with slick glove work behind the stumps and valuable runs at number four, including a last start 114 against the Drews.

The power-hitting of Michael Close has been a revelation and the short format will suit him today when he gets to the middle of Dunkeld Turf, where the tally can mount quickly.

Casterton District v Gorae-Portland

ISLAND Park Hardwicket is the venue for this last game of 2024, due to the roller being vandalised for the second time in a month.

What these vandals get out of interfering with the equipment is anyone’s guess, and it only breaks the collective heart of all the hard-working volunteers who put so much time and effort into ensuring the town has some of the best facilities in the association.

Having to use the synthetic hardwicket takes the home ground advantage away from the Maroons, as Gorae-Portland is used to playing on hard wickets and is probably better suited to what is required.

Casterton District needs the top order to regain form with the bat after being routed by Portland Tigers’ Shanaka Silva last round.

The Maroons lost 5-0 in a chase for only 76 runs to claim the points, and the side never recovered to lose by six runs.

The visitors enter the game refreshed after having the last two weeks off and Casterton District will be hoping the break will have seen their opponents drop form.

Portland Tigers v College

COLLEGE travels to Henty Park today hoping that the surface is far better than that which was presented in the last round where 15 wickets fell on day one for only 110 runs.

The Tigers have been one of the form teams of the summer and the hosts currently are equal on points on the one-day ladder with Tyrendarra, as only a tiny percentage difference separates the two.

Shanaka Silva and Paul Procter have been the star performers for the Tigers with each scoring freely in the middle order, while Silva has also been a force with the ball.

The Eagles have their own in-form players with Adrian Burn, Charles Murrie, and Jordy Anthony performing beautifully in the first six rounds of the summer.

Tyrendarra v Portland Colts

THE match of the round status must go to this game which is being staged at Tyrendarra Recreation Reserve between the premiership ladder leader, Portland Colts, and the second-placed reigning premier, Tyrendarra.

The two teams are so evenly matches that there is only 0.24 points separating them on the premiership ladder, and today will see one of them open a gap on the other (unless the game is a tie).

Portland Colts has been in sparkling form with the bat having scored more than 400 runs more than Tyrendarra, but the hosts have been outstanding with the ball which has seen the team not needing to chase big targets to win its games.

The visitors will pose a much sterner test for the hosts bowlers and this game will come down to which team bowls the best.