SOUTH Gambier and Penola will battle tomorrow in a third v fourth hit-out for Round 4 of the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association Barber Shield season.
The Demons hold the home-ground advantage at Blue Lake Sports Park and lead the Eagles in the standings, after wins against Mil Lel and East Gambier.
Penola has recorded just the one victory this season – against East – but has faced the top two sides in North Sportsman’s and West Gambier in the last two rounds.
But after a promising build up to the season, the Eagles have not performed well with the bat, relying on the bowling attack to defeat East after posting just 124 runs in the opening one-day clash.
The Bulldogs had no answer to the tight bowling of Brad Maney, Michael Waters and Dave Somerfield, all out in the 33rd over for just 71 runs.
Hitting back against West the following week, Jase Bateman and Jack Mullan shared an 80-run opening stand, with the former’s half-century helping the side to 163 off the 40 allotted overs.
But West stood tall with the bat and easily accounted for Penola, in a game that was poised to go either way.
However, it was Round 3 where the Eagles let a real chance at victory slip by, bundling the Tigers out for just 102 runs, on the back of some impressive bowling from Curt Evans, Somerfield, Conrad Slabber and George Kidman.
But with the bat it all went pear shaped, with only three players reaching double figures and a first-innings lost coming far too quickly in the two-day match.
In contrast South looked very ordinary in the opening round against West, finding just 69 runs off 24 overs, with only Robbie Drenthen reaching double figures.
The game was all-but over from there.
But the Demons found something the following week, chasing a 167-run total by Mil Lel at Frew Park.
The result looked out of reach of South – going on that first round performance – but a solid opening knock from Drenthen, backed up with the same in the middle order, provided the victory.
Much of that was on the back of a 49 from Luke Zadow, who was unfortunately run out just shy of his half-century.
Round 3 saw the Demons cement third place on the ladder, on the back of a century to Dylan Clough and a big half-century to Drenthen down the order.
Chasing a 202-run total set by East, South easily surpassed that number, all out for 267 after 74 overs for first-innings points.
Just like the West v North clash this round, this game should provide plenty of entertainment with both bat and ball.
If South can continue its good form, Penola will have a big task ahead.
The Eagles need to step up to the plate before the season begins to escape them, after little reward from the first three rounds.
That will provide plenty of incentive to perform, with the game set to go either way.
