IT WILL be the turn of Jung Tigers and Rup-Minyip to take centre stage under the Horsham City Oval lights as A Grade action returns after enjoying three weekends off.
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With two rounds of the one-day season remaining a Rup-Minyip win would all but confirm the side’s place in the one day final.
The club is second behind Homers and six points clear of the Horsham Saints and Laharum, while boasting a superior percentage.
Blue Panthers captain Travis Hair said he was not thinking about that as it was just another game.
“Clint Midgley will be in for his first game of the season and we should get Leigh Funcke back as well,” he said. “Jordan Weidemann is the only out at this point.”
The Tigers are currently fifth on the ladder and outside of finals. Captain Tyler Neville said his side’s batsmen need to covert their starts better.
“We need to be turning scores of 15-25 into scores of 50-plus,” he said. “It turns our totals from 150 into 200 pretty quickly.”
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The turf at Coughlin Park will host just its second game for the season when the Saints take on Blackheath-Dimboola.
Saints captain Tony Caccaviello said he had done the calculations and knew his side was still a chance of playing in the one-day final.
“If we bat well, field well and bowl well then we can give ourselves a good chance of winning the next two games,” he said.
“This week will be a good opportunity for a couple more players to stand up in the absence of Matt Combe and Jono Carroll.
“We’ll probably have a few others out because of holidays as well.”
Blackheath-Dimboola could simply not get going with the bat against the Saints in a two-day fixture prior to Christmas but Coughlin Park is expected to be bowler friendly.
Elliot Braithwaite will enjoy the conditions for the away team and could be vital to the side’s chances of creating an upset.
Laharum also remain in the race for a spot in the final but will need to find a way to overcome Homers to remain in the hunt.
The Pigeons were far too strong for Laharum early this season and will look to make it two from two at Cameron Oval.
Homers captain Jarred Combe said he wanted his side to continue where it had left off.
“We’ve had a great first half of the season and are looking forward to kicking things off in the new year,” he said.
The side will continue to back its juniors in the A Grade side and will also welcome back Jason Kannar. Sandy Hodge and Eddie Landwehr will both be unavailable for the encounter.
