COVID concerns wreak havoc through cricket
Gelagotis stable eyes metropolitan success at Caulfield
CRICKET By LIAM DURKIN
COVID wreaked even more havoc than usual as local cricket returned for the 2022 component of the 2021/22 season last Saturday. With cases surging across the state, clubs in the Latrobe Valley and District Cricket League and the Traralgon District Cricket Association found themselves absolutely decimated of playing stocks. Players who had either tested positive or were awaiting results could not be selected, meaning in some cases, clubs had to scramble to find players in order to fill teams. While clubs generally had enough players to bring up to the first grade team, the real challenge was getting teams on the park for the lower grades, which became a case of finding genuine fill-ins or ‘mates of a mate’ to help out. Rovers in the TDCA reportedly had an entire team worth of players that couldn’t play, while Gormandale and Glengarry had around five that were unable to be selected. The TDCA has informed member clubs they need to fill their A Grade first and foremost, while a degree of leniency will be given to the lower grades if it is clear clubs cannot field a team due to COVID. To avoid any potential to manipulate points or ladder positions, clubs will need to provide significant proof COVID has affected their ability to select players. If this is proven and teams have to forfeit, points will be split between the opposing teams. In the LVDCL, the majority of clubs reported player shortages due to isolation or pending results. Latrobe had five players across the club unavailable, while Morwell, Centrals, Moe, Raiders and Jeeralang-Boolarra had between two and four. Trafalgar faced the incredibly bizarre situation of finding itself so desperate it needed to bring Jacob Baldassa, who had not even played a game of cricket in six years, into the A Grade team. For Baldassa, who has lived in Brazil for the last three years and came back to Trafalgar to play a token game in C Grade before he flew back out - playing a game in the firsts was surely the furthest thing from his mind. The current COVID situation looks to be very much a week-to-week proposition for clubs, who will have to think on the run to an extent and navigate as best they can with whatever players they have to choose from. Things could get very interesting come finals time, as there is a good chance the
HORSE RACING
Desperate times: The board tells the story at the Trafalgar Cricket Club, which had a host of players unavailable due to COVID issues last Saturday. photograph supplied team that wins a semi-final could be forced to make half-a-dozen changes a few days later.
and given what is happening at the moment one could argue cricket administration is just as impossible.
They say cricket is an impossible game to master,
MOE trainer Peter Gelagotis is set to saddle up two runners as midweek racing makes a rare appearance at Caulfield today. Hereforagoodtime, fresh off a solid second at Mornington, is among the entries for the $50,000 Neds Canny Lass Handicap (2000m) for the Benchmark 70 horses. Bred in New Zealand, Hereforagoodtime broke her maiden status towards the back end of her last preparation over 2080m at Cranbourne on April 23. Now in her second racing preparation, the daughter of Tavistock is campaigning well without quite landing that winning blow. A good third behind Shezadandi at Sandown Hillside on December 8 was followed by a close fourth to Curly Burgin at Moonee Valley on December 17. Hereforagoodtime was sent out favourite when she dropped back in class and trip for a 2000m assignment at Mornington last time out, but bumped into Spirit of Gold. Down in the weights, the stable has booked Melbourne Cup winning jockey Jye McNeil to take the ride. The other Gelagotis runner is The Marg Factor, who contests the Neds Foxseal Handicap (1200m) at Benchmark 64 level. The Marg Factor, a daughter of Hvasstan, who the Gelagotis team trained to success during its racetrack career, has her hoof on the till. The four-year-old mare has finished runnerup at her past two outings in metropolitan company at Moonee Valley behind Akecheta and La Spezia respectively. Back to the 1200m despite the freshen up is a query, but The Marg Factor does have a touch of class as highlighted by her career record of three wins and four minor placings from 11 starts. Jockey Jake Noonan takes the ride from barrier two.
Champions of Champions decided BOWLS STRZELECKI NORTH CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS By MICHAEL HOLROYD
ALL 18 clubs in the Strzelecki North playing area were invited to send along their Club Champions to play in the annual Champions of Champions event recently, with the men and lady winners to proceed to challenge the Strzelecki South winners to see who goes to Bendigo to play in the Victorian Championships which leads to the Australian Championship. Newborough Bowling Club hosted the event with all players enjoying playing on the excellent grass greens.
The ladies final between Pat Fraser-Aurisch (Neerim District) and Sheryl Atkinson (Drouin) allowed two great rivals to continue their personal battle for supremacy. Atkinson won two shots on the first end and they went shot for shot until Fraser-Aurisch took a 10-7 lead after Atkinson led 7-6. Fraser-Aurisch maintained a narrow lead for the remainder of the match despite Atkinson narrowing the gap to 22-23 before Fraser-Aurisch won two shots on the next end to give her a welldeserved 25-22 victory. Two up and coming bowlers Tim Fraser (Trafalgar) and Michael Smogavec (Moe) took part in the men’s final. Fraser started well going to a 6-3 lead before
Smogavec went away to a 12-7 lead and managed to maintain this lead until Fraser drew level at 18-all after winning four of five ends. Fraser continued his good work to lead 24-21 before Smogavec rallied to tie the score at 24-all before Fraser won the next end to win 25-24. A great display of bowling from two young stars of the future which was appreciated by the strong crowd. The ladies novice between Lisa Arnold (Morwell Club) and Aga Kozlowska (Yinnar) was a repeat of a nailbiting match from last year which Kozlowska won 21-20. The players did not let the crowd down with Arnold reversing the result on her foe with a 21-20 victory in another enthralling match.
The men’s novice was won by Matt Ogilvie (Traralgon), who defeated his Traralgon compatriot Jedd Ladgrove 21-8. Pennant resumes this weekend with Traralgon and Newborough in Division 1 looking to play Friday night in what should be an exciting game between the two powerhouse sides in the competition. In other matches, Moe hosts Traralgon RSL and a win at home would help their prospects of staying in Division 1. Drouin hosts Warragul and Trafalgar hosts Morwell Club to complete an interesting round. Sunday sees the first rounds of the State Mixed Pairs competition.
SCOREBOARD GOLF MIRBOO NORTH
Stableford,Thursday, January 6 Winners: A Grade - P Draper (12) 39 pts, B Grade - H St Ellen (24) 40 pts. DTL: Tom Traill, C Le Page, T Bradshaw, R Thompson 38 pts. NTP: J Smeriglio (4th), Tom Traill (16th). Birdies: P Draper (6th), J Smeriglio (6th). Stableford, Saturday, January 8. Winners: A Grade - T Whitelaw (8) 42 pts, B Grade - M Heiberg (15) 42 pts c/b, C Grade - C Bracecamp (24) 41 pts. DTL: R Kratzat 41 pts, N Bracecamp 40 pts, Tim Traill, Tom Traill 38 pts, N Rutledge, M Payne 37 pts. NTP: D Woodall (4th), R Robbins (6th), P Woodall (13th), S Evison (16th).
Birdies: D Woodall (4th), T Bradshaw, C Bracecamp, E Woodall (6th), P Woodall, R Taylor, R Robbins (13th), T Whitelaw, N Bracecamp, S Evison, J Smeriglio (16th). TRARALGON
Men’s Stableford (119 players),Tuesday, January 4. Winners: A Grade - J Murodch (6) 42 pts, B Grade - J Garlick (15) 41 pts, C Grade - R Guiney (25) 43 pts. DTL: M Jones 41 pts, G Kraan 40 pts, D Shields 40 pts, D Payne 39 pts, B Jarvis 39 pts, J Landels 39 pts, G Hastie 39 pts, J O’Rourke 39 pts, A Pigdon 39 pts, K Fitzclarence 38 pts, R Chapman 38 pts, D Nichols 38 pts, T Northe 38 pts, D Lyons 38 pts, W Rogers 38 pts, A Richardson 37 pts, A Hannon 37 pts, M Parekh 37 pts, B Jones 37 pts, D Van Heerewaarden 37 pts. Men’s stroke – White Tees (115 players),
Page 30 — The Latrobe Valley Express, Wednesday, 12 January, 2022
Saturday, January 8. Winners: A Grade - R Alexander (1) 73, A Grade - Z Gray (8) 66, B Grade - T Northe (12) 68, C Grade - J Swenson (19) 66, D Grade - L Langstaff (24) 61. DTL: 67 R White, 68 T Tulloch, W McDonald, D Cooper, S Jones, L Pollard, 69 J Pledge, D Loprese, C Radford, 70 D Anderson, S Lever, A Pollard, G Henry, P Owler, B Woodall, 71 J Pilcher, B Jarvis, B Buir, K Garlick, G Graham. Men’s stableford – White Tees (28 players), Saturday, January 8. Winner: R Cutler (31) 41 pts. DTL: R Smith 38 pts, A Pattle 37 pts, D Campbell, T Hourigan 35 pts, B Scully 34 pts. CHURCHILL MONASH
Par, Saturday, January 8.
Winners: A Grade - B Barnes (13) square, B Grade - G Harvey (25) +6, C Grade - V Verheyen (32) +5. DTL: B Sebire +3, R Welsh +3, G Barnes +3, G Lancaster +3, W Sutton +3, P Bolding +2. NTP: M Allen (3rd), P Bolding (5th), P Coad (12th), R Welsh (14th). Stableford,Tuesday, January 4. Winner: L Brent (25) 35 pts. DTL: M McConville (35) 27 pts. NTP: S Caldwell (3rd), L Brent (5th), C Stevens (12th), L Brent (14th).
ATHLETICS GIPPSLAND ATHLETICS CLUB
Round 9 of Gippsland Athletics Club track and field season was held Tuesday, January 4, 2022.
RESULTS: 800M Men: Open – Brendan Caffrey 3:01.66; Masters – Ian Twite 3:11.40 2000M Men: Masters – Ian Twite 8:48.23, Jude Fernando 9:56.99 TRIPLE JUMP Men: Open – Jordan Humphrey 10.36, Brendan Caffrey 8.90; Masters – Jude Fernando 10.61 100M Men: Open – Jordan Humphrey 12.19, Brendan Caffrey 13.85; Masters – Jude Fernando 13.77 Gippsland Athletics regular track and field season continued with Round 10 on Tuesday, January 11, 6pm at the Joe Carmody Track, Newborough Events: 100m, Javelin, Long Jump, 3/5k run/walk, Discus, 400m.
