Harden Cricket B Grade Jeff Brown.
The South West Slopes Cricket League is still waiting for the first games of the season, with last weekend being another washout. Cootamundra Cricket Association’s Treasurer and Secretary Pat Kerin said, “the ovals start drying out and then they get another hammering of rain.”
The first game washed out in round four of the division two SWSCL was the Temora Shamrock Hotel Leprechauns versus the Harden Country Club Hornets at Nixon Park one.
The Temora Ex-Services Renegades versus the Bribbaree Rams Cricket Club at Nixon Park two was also washed out.
The Murringo Mavericks Cricket Club didn’t get to play the Boorowa Cricket Club at Miller Henry Oval last weekend. The Young Criterion Hotel Gunners missed out on playing the Temora Bowling Club Tigers B Grade at Sawpit Gully as well.
This weekend, Bribbaree Rams Cricket Club plays the Murringo Mavericks Cricket Club at Miller Henry Oval. This is a fairly evenly matched game, with both teams only winning two games each last season.
Bribbaree are the better batting side, scoring 967 last season, but unfortunately they couldn’t piece together enough decent bowling to win more games.
Murringo are the opposite, having a consistent bowling lineup but fall short in close games due to their batting.
The Boorowa Cricket Club play the Temora Shamrock Hotel Leprechauns at Boorowa Sports Ground this weekend.
The Temora side has been recently relegated from division one and will be looking to prove they are a quality side after only winning three games last season.
Boororwa do have the home game which may provide the added edge they need to win on the weekend. The Temora Bowling Club Tigers B Grade take on the Harden Country Club Hornets at Nixon Park two this weekend.
The Tigers won four games last season and finished in fourth place, which makes them a good middle-of-the-competition tester for Harden to start their season.
Trying to prove they are a contender in the SWSCL division two, Harden will come out all guns blazing.
Also playing this weekend, the Young Criterion Hotel Gunners face off against the Temora Ex-Services Renegades at Sawpit Gully.
The Renegades are another team who were demoted for division one and will now be hoping to dominate division two.
The Young Gunners are a strong side but the home ground advantage for the Renegades may be the turning factor. Whilst optimistic, the weather forecast in the next month puts doubt in Kerin’s mind about how many games they’ll get this season, saying, “before Christmas, we might only play in three or four.”
Ed Dodds
