Blues day for Geelong

GEELONG Cricket Club failed to get a start last Saturday due to the thunderstorms that rolled through in the early hours of the morning.
That means its match against Carlton at Princes Park will revert to a one-day fixture tomorrow.
While the Cats have lost Joel Davies to injury, they will hope to have Australian star Aaron Finch back in the line-up, the hard hitting opener being named last week on the back of a massive double hundred for an Australian XI against the touring New Zealand side.
Currently sitting at 14th place on the ladder, Geelong need to win this to keep any hope of competing in this season’s finals alive.
The same weather that interrupted Geelong’s hopes of getting on last week caused major disruptions in the Geelong Cricket Association last week, with just two games able to be completed.
Ironically, the two sides that lost last week, Geelong City and St Josephs, clash this round, and with the reigning premiers St Josephs yet to win a game after three rounds, it’s crunch time.
The Joeys would have been confident of defending 244 out at Lara, but a magnificent hundred to Andy Hughes put paid to that.
Geelong City also would have hoped for a better showing against Grovedale, but could only manage a measly 104 chasing the Tigers 193, Gareth Yelland the star, the veteran taking the amazing figures of 5/11 from 14 overs.
The key here will be City’s ability to call on more from their lesser lights, and not expect Richie Oliver to continue to bat them to winning positions.
If they can’t, St Josephs will be too strong and record an easy win.
EAST BELMONT v Newtown and Chilwell, GROVEDALE v South Barwon, NORTH GEELONG Leopold, MURGHEBOLUC v Bell Post Hill, Geelong West v LARA.
In Division Two, Torquay and Modewarre will be looking to stay in touch with the top six when they clash at Spring Creek Reserve.
Torquay are sitting in ninth place on 6 points, while Modewarre aren’t faring much better, sitting seventh with 9 points.
For the loser of this one, it’s going to be a battle to regroup and put some points in the bank prior to the Christmas break.
While Modewarre haven’t been setting the world on fire, they should have enough depth in their side to win this one.
MARSHALL v Manifold Heights, Thomson v HIGHTON, ST ALBANS BREAKWATER v Alexander Thomson, Waurn v ST PETERS, NEWCOMB & DISTRICT v Bell Park.
Two of the stronger sides of recent years in Division Three, Meredith and Shelford, face off this round at Meredith Reserve.
Shelford are in second spot, while Meredith are in fifth. However, a closer look reveals the Rams have actually won two games while the Bullants have only won one, the fact that it was an outright win, and having had a bye already, has elevated them higher than perhaps they might otherwise be.
Shelford have had the wood over their rivals of recent times, and should be too strong once again.
INVERLEIGH v Corio Bay, Guild St Mary’s v WINCHELSEA, TEESDALE v Corio, Lethbridge v LITTLE RIVER, Bannockburn bye.