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Early form critical BY DEAN LAWSON here’s an old cricket expression that goes something along the lines of ‘get ’em while they’re still green’.
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Captains in the past have used it as advice for bowlers andor batsmen in an attempt to exploit any cobwebs their opponents might have at the start of a season. Three weeks into Horsham Cricket Association’s A Grade fixture is about the time the rust and creaky joints from a long winter start disappearing. It is also the time that teams aiming make finals start laying foundations with bat and ball. It is an issue far from lost on Jung Tigers captain Tyler Neville who has a 1-1 win-loss result so far this season. This weekend he leads his young team against a Laharum side, which is off to a flyer. “We’re pretty content with how we’re tracking, although we got skittled a bit by the
reigning premiers Homers last week,” he said. “No one is dropping their heads and even though it is so early in the season, the winner of this game could almost set us up. It might be between us and Laharum fighting for that swinging spot and getting one up on them early would put us in good stead.” The Tigers, who beat A Grade newcomers Lubeck-Murtoa and then ran into a powerful Homers batting list, have a tough assignment in matching the in-form Mountain Men. They will be missing veteran all-rounder David Puls but will balance the loss with the return of Angus Adams and young quick Joel Pymer. Laharum’s early form has been notable with a victory over Lubeck-Murtoa, passing their opponents’ 139 with eight wickets and 14 overs to spare. Josh Mahoney, Ben Peucker, Damien Bunworth and Riley Lenehan appear comfortable in
the top order and Daniel Griffiths presents a major stumbling block for opposition bowlers in the middle. Laharum also seems to have plenty of players to share the bowling. Rupanyup-Minyip is another side chasing form but it too faces an uphill battle against a Homers side which appears to have settled. The Blue Panthers came unstuck against an imposing Horsham Saints last week, although Leigh Funcke turned back the clock with 67 and Brent Hudson made 34. Runs flowed aplenty for the Pigeon bats last week with Lachie Jones and Chris Hopper exploiting a solid foundation. Horsham Saints are unbeaten on the top of the ladder with players queuing up to have an impact with bat and ball. First drop Gary Davidson and Matt Combe, Justtin Combe, Ben Sawyer and Josh Carroll are all more than handy with the bat and Tim Cacciaviello is on song with the ball.
ACROSS CRICKET
Horsham
A Grade, this week: One-day games, Rupanyup-Minyip v Homers at Minyip, LubeckMurtoa v Horsham Saints at Murtoa, Laharum v Jung Tigers at Laharum. Last week: Homers 7-275 (C. Hopper 89, L. Jones 65) d Jung Tigers 127 (T. Neville 49; C. Hopper 3-7), Laharum 2-143 (D. Bunworth 43no, B. Peucker 40no) d LubeckMurtoa 7-139 (H. Gawith 41; J. Mahoney 3-22), Horsham Saints 3-138 (G. Davidson 54) d Rup-Min 8-137 (L. Funcke 67; T. Caccaviello 4-22).
Grampians
A Grade, this week: T-20 Henry Gunstone Cup, 1pm, Youth Club v Halls Gap at Central Park, St Andrews v Pomonal at North Park, Stawell, Aradale v Tatyoon at Alexandra Oval, Chalambar v Swifts Great Western and
Gordon Street Reserve, Ararat, Buangor bye. 4pm, Youth Club v Pomonal at Central Park, St Andrews v Halls Gap at North Park, Aradale v Swifts-Great Western at Alexandra Oval, Chalambar v Buangor at Gordon St Reserve, Tatyoon, bye.
Last week: Round three, Swifts-Great Western 9-117 (S. Cocks 41; J. Illig 4-10) d Youth Club 9-90 (T. McCord 3-8, G. Ranton 3-11), St Andrews 8-119 (B. Miller 59no) d Tatyoon 8-89 (J. Hosking 4-10), Chalambar 8-85 (D. Folkes 4-14) d Halls Gap 6-68, Buangor 8-224 (H. Ganley 56; B. Taylor 3-39) d Aradale 86 (H. Ganley 3-6) Round four, Swifts-Great Western 5-154 (S. Cocks 50) d St Andrews 91 (B. Ferguson 34; T. McCord 5-12), Youth Club 5-104 (Z. Marrow 40no; A Byron 3-16) d Tatyoon 90
(W. Joyce 27; Z. Marrow 4-3), Pomonal 4-54 d Chalambar 49 (A. Rasheed 3-4, L. Oliver 3-9), Buangor 5-93 (H. Ganley 31; B. Iseppi 4-20) d Halls Gap 8-87 (H. Ganley 3-6).
Wimmera-Mallee A Grade, this week: One day games, St Arnaud v St Marys at King George’s Park, Donald v Birchip, Hopetoun v Brim-Kellalac Sheep Hills, Marnoo v Jeffcott at Rich Avon, Wyche-Narra, bye. Last week: Donald 124 (J. Leith 49; N. Atkins 4-19) d Jeffcott 77 (R. Murray 4-4), Brim-Kellalac-Sheep Hills 3-210 (I McPershon 85no, T. Fisher 55) d WycheproofNarraport 61 (L. Somers 3-12, A. Herron 3-16), Birchip 124 (B. Lee 29; J. Whitehead 3-16, N. Germano 3-25) d St Marys 116 (N. Germano 61; R. Doran 5-11), Marnoo 3-111 d St Arnaud 100.
Stawell hopes for a spark BY SARAH SCULLY Stawell Wildcats coach Ben Leslie hopes the disappointment of last week’s loss to Wimmera rivals Horsham Hornets will spark an improved performance from his charges at the weekend.
The Wildcats will embark on their first double-header of the 2015-16 Country Basketball League season against Portland on Saturday night, backing up against south-west conference ladder-leader Mt Gambier on Sunday. With Stawell sitting sixth, trailing fifth-placed Portland by a significant percentage, Leslie knows his team is in for a tough weekend. Despite the challenge that awaits, Leslie expects two competitive games. “We were outplayed and out-muscled against Horsham. We lacked intensity, and it showed,” he said. The Hornets enjoyed a strong start, taking an 11-point lead into quarter-time. They went on to dominate the second term, dropping 22 points to Stawell’s 12. The Wildcats were more competitive in the second half, with both sides scoring 16 points in the third quarter and only two separating them in the last. Damien Skurrie was again a standout for the Hornets, finishing with 25 points, while Matt Lovel scored 17-points. Leslie said he was pleased with the efforts of Jake Stainsby. “It was his first game back and he played really well,” he said. Jesse Poulton top-scored for Stawell with 16 points. The Wildcats will be without Stainsby for the weekend’s double-header. “It’s unfortunate, but he’s got exams, so he needs to concentrate on that,” Leslie said. “We’ll go in hoping for the best and to be competitive for
are undefeated following three consecutive victories, while Portland is sitting second after winning its only match of the season to date, against Colac. Mt Gambier is on the bottom of the women’s ladder after a narrow loss. Hiscock said it was difficult to judge the opposition during the first half of the season because they didn’t know who was going to take to the court until game time. “Looking at the results, it looks like Mt Gambier and Portland are two of the stronger sides, so it will be a good challenge,” he said. “We’ll probably go in a little underdone, but it will give us an opportunity to get some minutes into other players.” The Hornets are coming off a convincing 52-point win over Stawell at the weekend. The Hornets meet Mt Gambier on Saturday night at 6pm before travelling to Portland on Sunday for a noon tip-off. Stawell plays Portland at 6pm on Saturday night and Mt Gambier at noon on Sunday.
Country Basketball League Round three Men
Horsham Hornets 83 d Stawell Wildcats 60
Women
Horsham Hornets 94 d Stawell Wildcats 42 40 minutes.” The Hornets will also take to the road at the weekend, meeting Mt Gambier in a top-two clash on Saturday night. The Lakers are undefeated, while the Hornets are 2-1 after their opening-round loss to Colac. The Hornets will then travel to Portland on Sunday to play the Coasters.
Women
Horsham and Stawell’s women’s teams will also play double-headers against Mt Gambier and Portland on Saturday and Sunday. Hornets coach Gareth Hiscock said it would be a good opportunity to see where his side was at. The Lady Hornets
CONTEST: Stawell Wildcat Jesse Poulton attempts to block a shot from Hornet Michael O’Callaghan Picture: WILLAMY IMAGES
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Wednesday, October 28, 2015