A SPOT in the one-day grand final may be on the line when Jung Tigers take on Homers under lights at Horsham City Oval on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The teams sit second and third on the one-day ladder heading into the round 10 match that will start at 4pm.
Each team is on 27 points, three behind top-placed Rup-Minyip and three ahead of the fourth-placed Horsham Saints.
The previous fixture between the two sides was washed out and adds to the uncertainty of which way Saturday’s match will go.
A win by Jung would see it hold on to second spot by at least three points ahead of its final one-day match against the Saints.
The Homers side will be in a similar position if it manages to win, but it will be left to face Rup-Minyip in the final round one-day round.
Runs have flowed freely on the Horsham City Oval wicket this season, and there’s no reason to expect any different in this match.
Sam Leith and David Puls have returned from the mid-season break in a rich vein of form at the top of Jung’s batting line-up.
Both batsmen will be key to the side’s chances of recording a win, as will Angus Adams. Puls will also shoulder the responsibility of leading a bowling attack that will need to restrict Homers’ deep batting line-up.
Lachlan Jones, Simon Hopper and Sandy Hodge have all scored more than 300 runs this season, a feat only two other A Grade players have managed.
With Michael Langford, Chris Hopper and Jarred Combe all scoring more than 100 runs, the job is not done once the top three have been dismissed.
Horsham Saints will need to overcome Blackheath-Dimboola in Dimboola to remain in contention, something the side could not manage in round two.
On that day, Hamish Exell took to the Saints bowling line-up before the Saints fell two runs short in the run chase.
The Saints’ bowling attack has improved over the course of the season to provide greater support for spearheads Tony Caccievello and Matt Combe.
Young Jono Carroll has shown constant improvement, while the return of veteran Clint King and the recent addition of Tim Braendler should see the attack put in a better performance.
Saints will need to counter Lachlan Watts, who has scored in excess of 300 runs in his last four A Grade innings.
His wicket will be the prized scalp.
After its first loss of the season, Rup-Minyip will look to bounce back against a Laharum side languishing at the bottom of the ladder.
Rup-Minyip has been struggling for numbers in recent rounds but a win against Laharum would go a long way to securing a one-day grand final berth.
Clint Midgley was good in the round nine loss but he will require support from the likes of Travis Hair and Ryan Metelmann.