By Lachlan Onions
NORTH SPORTSMAN’S v BORDERTOWN
NORTH Sportsman’s will host Bordertown for Round 7 of women’s cricket as the home side looks to continue its impeccable run this season.
The Tigers have won all five of their games and it is hard to see Bordertown pulling off an upset at Marist Park on Sunday.
The visitors enter this clash off the back of a disappointing loss at the hands of Naracoorte, while North claimed an 82-run win over Mil Lel last weekend.
Laura Chester has been one of the star players this season and she was the first player to score a half-century when she made 59 runs against Mil Lel on the weekend.
Chester has scored 155 runs this season at an average of 77.5.
She will not be the only player Bordertown will be wary of as Fiona Young has scored 102 runs for the Tigers at an average of 34.
With the ball, Young, Chester and Layla McPherson make up the top three wicket-takers in the competition this year so Bordertown will have its work cut out.
The visitors will look to Hayley Twigden – who averages 33 with the bat – to make an impact for their side.
When these two sides met earlier this year, the Tigers claimed a 39-run win at Virgo Park.
For Bordertown, it will be a case of limiting the damage as North appears to be in a class of its own this season and should cruise to victory.
NARACOORTE v MIL LEL
In the other clash this weekend, Mil Lel will make the road trip to Naracoorte in a game where the hosts will be strong favourites.
Naracoorte has won two of its four games this season, while Mil Lel has lost all five.
Back in Round 1, Naracoorte defeated Mil Lel by 14 runs but it is hard to see the game being as close this time around.
The hosts enter this clash off the back of a confidence-boosting win over Bordertown where they chased down the target with nearly 10 overs to spare.
Naracoorte will look to Lauren Smart, Charli Schroder and Kathryn Vine to do the damage in this weekend’s clash.
Vine heads into the contest off the back of a quick-fire 30 with the bat against Bordertown.
She took the game away from Bordertown and hit one maximum and four 4’s at a strike-rate of 176.47.
Lydia Megaw, Madeline Burley and Jennifer Peterson have been three of the stronger players for Mil Lel in recent weeks and will need to put in strong performance to give their side a chance of victory.
Mil Lel will enter this clash as underdogs and Naracoorte will likely claim the win.
