By JIM TIMBERLAKE
Geelong Cricket Club’s match against Fitzroy Doncaster is evenly poised after a tight first day’s play last Saturday.
Winning the toss and asking their hosts to bat first at Schramm Reserve, the Cats took a little longer than they would have liked to break through, Fitzroy Doncaster putting on 56 for the first wicket before Joel Davies (2/16) effected a double breakthrough.
From there, the game ebbed and flowed, with the home side eventually being dismissed for just 213, Liam Buchanan (2/12) and Tom Smith (2/26) both picking up a brace of wickets.
Geelong had to face seven overs to complete the day’s play and while it managed to wipe 32 runs off the deficit, it came at the expense of two wickets.
Hayden Butterworth remains not out, and will be the key if Geelong wants to continue its recent winning streak.
In the Geelong Cricket Association, two rounds of two day games remain, and in division one, the race for the finals is still wide open.
Reigning premier St Josephs were gone for all money before Christmas but three wins on the trot since the break has a few teams nervously looking over their shoulders.
It sits in ninth place just three points outside the top six, although there is a number of teams in between with at least a say in their own destiny.
The Joeys host seventh placed Murgheboluc this round in what is virtually an elimination final, as the loser will struggle to make it.
With stars of the likes of Glen Talarico and Leigh Kentish going head-to-head, this will be a cracker, but if Trent Walerys brings his A game and decides to shave the nickname ‘Ice’ into the back of his head like he once did in the Under 15 football grand final, then the Frogs better watch out!
SOUTH BARWON v Geelong City, LEOPOLD v Geelong West, Newtown and Chilwell v LARA, EAST BELMONT v Bell Post Hill, Grovedale v NORTH GEELONG, ST JOSEPHS v Murgheboluc.
In division two, after a tight season, the top six has finally started to break away after Modewarre defeated Bell Park last week to open up a nine point gap over seventh placed Newcomb and District.
That means attention can now turn to the top of the table and this week it’s first placed Marshall taking on third placed St Peters.
The Bears missed a golden opportunity last round to establish a clear break on top when they were backdoor outrighted by Thomson.
In an incredible game, Thomson fought back from a narrow first innings loss to storm right back into premiership contention with a gutsy second innings win.
St Peters, on the other hand, has won all three of its post-Christmas games and has a great opportunity to show it is peaking at just the right time.
MODEWARRE v Alexander Thomson, HIGHTON v Newcomb and District, Manifold Heights v BELL PARK, Marshall v ST PETERS, Torquay v THOMSON, ST ALBANS BREAKWATER v Waurn Ponds.
And in division three, Inverleigh has slipped to seventh spot on the ladder after going down to Teesdale last week, star batsman Shaun Campbell the star for Teesdale with a double century just when his team needed it most.
Inverleigh’s task to stay in the hunt doesn’t get any easier as it takes on Shelford at home tomorrow.
While Shelford has plenty of stars in the team, perhaps the challenge of taking them down may be just what Inverleigh needs to kick its premiership campaign back into gear.
Winchelsea v BANNOCKBURN, Corio v LETHBRIDGE, Corio Bay v LITTLE RIVER, INVERLIGH v Shelford, Guild St Marys v TEESDALE, Meredith bye.
