The Goulburn Murray Cricket McMahon Shield battle for fourth continues to rage and with Rochester and Kyabram Fire Brigade unable to separate from each other at the weekend due to the heat rule, it’s become a three-week shootout for that last finals place.
Fire Brigade will be quietly confident it can move up this weekend as it visits winless Nondies-Cohuna, while Rochester has the unenviable task of hosting unbeaten league-leader Moama.
With Rochy having one more game left after this weekend due to an upcoming bye, causing the unlikely upset over the Mowers could be its only path to the finals.
Meanwhile, a likely semi-final preview will be taking place at Bamawm Recreation Reserve.
BLU will host Echuca South and, with the two sides most likely to finish in some combination of second and third, it’s probable this face-off will be repeated with their seasons on the line in the semi-final.
Four-time champion Echuca still holds a faint hope of turning its season around, two games out of the finals with three matches to play.
A loss to Leitchville-Gunbower this weekend would be the final nail in the coffin, but even if Echuca comes out on top, it will need to remain perfect and hope Rochester and Fire Brigade consistently falter to have any hope of returning to the post-season.
In Campaspe Tennis Association, the two Echuca sides will be on the road, with Echuca 2 visiting Rochester, while Echuca one heads to Lockington-Bamawm United.
The Echuca outfits have been the dominant forces in the competition, both only suffering a single loss to the other this season, but Rochester and LBU will be looking to put a chink in the leaders’ armour before the finals rolls around.
Deniliquin is under pressure in the Campaspe Playing Area weekend bowls pennant, the side frustratingly close to joining the final four, but up against it given the remaining draw.
Trailing Stanhope by a point, Deni can’t improve its position this weekend as its rival is set to score maximum points with the bye.
It means Deniliquin must defeat finals-bound Kyabram on the weekend just to keep pace, before hoping results fall in its favour in the final round to allow a surge into the top four.
In the other matches of round 14, Echuca hosts Mathoura, Moama is at home to Rich River and Rochester will visit Tongala.
All matches will be held on Saturday, with cricket starting from 11am, tennis 1pm and bowls at 1.30pm.
Heat isn’t expected to be a factor this weekend, but should the forecast change bowls matches may be moved to an earlier 9.30am start.
27°C