By JIM TIMBERLAKE
GEELONG Cricket Club will be ruing the introduction of Twenty20 cricket to the Premier League fixture after losing all four of its games in the shortest format.
After going down in both their matches in Warrnambool two weeks ago, the Cats would have hoped to bounce back in the two games in Melbourne last Saturday against Footscray Edgewater and Melbourne but unfortunately they lost both.
Still, Geelong remains in the top eight and will be satisfied with its pre-Christmas campaign if it beats Frankston Peninsula in a one-day game at home tomorrow.
In Geelong Cricket Association’s round of one-day games scheduled to complete the first half of the season, two stand out as indicators of who will take premiership favouritism into the Christmas break.
Top-ranked North Geelong takes on fourth-placed Newtown & Chilwell at Stinton Oval.
Both teams have a habit of starting recent seasons well but fading away, so the momentum gained from a win here will be critical after the break.
The Two Blues have plenty of youth but the class of Jake Thorne should carry the Magpies to victory.
In the other tasty encounter, sixth-placed Grovedale hosts second-ranked St Joseph’s.
After a quiet start, Joeys has been in scintillating form of late, with a crushing outright victory against South Barwon last game, which should really made the rest of the competition stand up and take notice.
Grovedale, on the other hand, went down to North Geelong last game and, while they weren’t disgraced, the Tigers look like they don’t have the depth to defeat a red hot St Joseph’s.
Other selections: HIGHTON v Geelong West, EAST BELMONT v Leopold, SOUTH BARWON v Murgheboluc, LARA v Geelong City.
With the top few teams starting to assert their dominance in division two, perennial finalist St Alban’s Breakwater is sitting in fourth place after going down to Torquay last week and really needs a win against sixth-placed Marshall.
The Bears also went down last week, losing narrowly to Manifold Heights in a game they may well have won if Matt Bogan wasn’t mysteriously unavailable on day one.
While Marshall has been competitive on the back of some good form by the Dubbledams, St Alban’s Breakwater should be too classy here.
Other selections: NEWCOMB & DISTRICT v Guild St Mary’s, BELL POST HILL v Waurn Ponds, ST PETER’S v Alexander Thomson, Torquay v MODEWARRE, THOMSON v Manifold Heights.
Division three might host a grand final preview this round, with top side Teesdale hosting third-placed Bell Park.
Interestingly, neither won last week, with Teesdale going down to Corio in a shock result and Bell Park having the bye.
In fact, the bye might have offered some respite for the Dragons after losing their previous two games.
While the Dragons will hope the rest will change their form around, Teesdale won’t miss this opportunity to continue their woes.
Other selections: North Shore v WINCHELSEA, SHELFORD v Meredith, Bannockburn v LETHBRIDGE, LITTLE RIVER v Corio, Inverleigh bye.
