IT will be a matter of making an impact for West Gambier when it takes on Mil Lel at Malseed Park in the final minor round of Barber Shield cricket.
The Roos sit in fourth on the premiership ladder and are yet to prove themselves against the top teams this season, so a big win over Mil Lel in their two-day clash will be an important confidence booster heading into finals.
There will be a bit more incentive for both teams this round, as they fight for the Geddes Shield, which is contested in every two-day game between Mil Lel and West.
West currently holds the shield, after a victory way back in round three of 2017-18 and will be out to retain it for another year.
Last time the sides met was back in round three of this year in the one-day format, which saw the Roos take the honours.
On paper that should be the case again, with West’s lineup full of potential, though it has not been utilised to great effect this season.
The Roos have struggled to make a real impact, particularly with the bat and Mil Lel will be eager to put another win on the board, especially after its outright defeat to North Sportsman’s last round.
Should West take to the crease on day one tomorrow, it will need to be wary of Mil Lel opening bowlers Ben Thiel and Jack Miller, who have both been in form of late.
The Roos will rely on the likes of co-captains Jake Blackwell and Niall Easterbrook, along with Sam Willis and Bowen Hosking with the bat, who are all capable of taking a stand.
Last round Nick Bone top scored for the side with 34 runs, for a combined effort of 163.
South Gambier blew that total out of the park to claim the win and West will need to lift over the next two weeks to prevent a fifth consecutive loss.
With the ball the regular contributors of Willis, Ben Hentschke and Easterbrook will be looked to and they all come off the back of three-wicket hauls last round.
But the Roos will not be the only ones trying to prove a point this round, as wooden spooner Mil Lel seeks redemption for its disappointing result against the Tigers.
Mil Lel was all out for 81 in its first innings, while it managed to reach a century in the second, but only just.
If it were not for a 55-run effort from captain Craig Lock the side would only just have forced North back in to bat.
Regardless, the Tigers stormed home to an easy outright win.
Youngsters Tom Nieuwerkerk and Thiel have proven capable with the bat recently, while Lock, Todd Carpenter and Carey Megaw have all posted decent scores throughout the season.
However, it will all be a matter of which team can lift to string together some runs and may well be a battle with the ball as the two sides fight to limit their opponent to a minor score.
