Cricket returns with finals hopes and top of the table at stake

Cricket’s back this weekend as players return from country week with a full round of fixtures beginning on Friday night as Sportsmans and Wonthella face off in a T20 clash.

While both can make the final, Sportsmans, with two T20 wins behind them, will likely secure their finals spot with a third win on Friday.

Wanderers have two losses and will need to win and hope other results work for them.

They will also meet on Saturday in a 50-over game, again at Wonthella, in what could be a season-defining game, with only two points separating them on the ladder.

Players, if available, nearing career milestones include Wanderers’ Shayne Bidwell, who needs three wickets for 600 in A-grade (which includes T20s), though he has bowled in only three of the 11 matches so far this season, taking seven wickets at 8.86.

Only two others have climbed that peak.

Another Wanderers pacer with a landmark in sight is Justin Clarkson, who needs four wickets for 100 career scalps.

For Sportsmans, spinner Dan Welsh is four shy of 350 career wickets, while hard-hitting batter Flynn Dillon needs 22 runs to reach 500.

In the other 50-over match, Towns and Bluff Point are at the Recreation Ground and the winner will take the competition’s lead.

If Towns win, they will probably go on to win the minor premiership which means direct grand final entry; if the Pointers succeed, the minor flag race will stay open.

For Towns, Sam Crouch needs 86 runs for 2500, which is impressive for a player once pigeonholed as a good B-grader. Josh DeLacy needs 11 for 500 career runs and three wickets for 100 for Towns.

Women’s Young Motors cricket also restarts with T20 games from 2pm on Sunday.

Chapman Valley-Northampton will play competition leaders Wanderers at Mazzuchelli Oval.

Wanderers’ Olivia Bidwell needs three runs to be first in the four-year-old women’s competition to hit 1000 and averaging 49.20 with the bat this season, it’s all but a certainty.

Wanderer’s all-rounder Sam Biddiscombe needs four runs and six wickets for the 500 run/50 wicket double, while Abby Green is three wickets short of 25.

Towns play Sportsmans at the Rec in the other match. For Towns, Janelle Phillips is slowly getting back to her pre-injury best. She needs 97 runs for 1000, which is a big ask but she’s capable of it.

For Sporties, young pace bowler Hayley Criddle is two wickets short of 25.

B-Grade Fixtures: CVN v Wan at Mazzuchelli Oval; Twn v BP at Muir Pk; Don v Spo at Dongara.