By Lachlan Onions
Penola will return to McCorquindale Park on Saturday for Day 1 of the final round of the Barber Shield before finals when it hosts North Sportsman’s.
There is plenty to play for as North Sportsman’s will be eying off an unlikely but still possible finals berth.
The Tigers will need to claim a comprehensive victory over the Eagles and hope East claims a dominant win over South Gambier to potentially sneak into the last finals spot.
However, the Eagles will be full of confidence after their thrilling win over West Gambier in Round 10 and will look to continue their momentum as they look to defend their premiership.
Penola will take on North Sportsman’s for the third time this season and will be hopeful the weather does not interfere as it has done in the two previous encounters.
Back in Round 1, the Tigers batted for 27 overs in a one-day clash at Penola and made it to 6/79 before rain intervened.
Then, in Round 6, Penola batted first in another one-dayer and ended its 40 overs at 8/152.
However, in just the fifth over of the second innings, rain hit once again and the clash was abandoned.
Looking at the rest of the season, Penola has won four games and lost twice, while the Tigers have two wins and four losses.
In the two-day games this campaign, the Eagles have been one of the best sides in the competition with three wins from four games and are second on the ladder for the longer format, with South Gambier only ahead on bonus points.
However, it is a different story for North, the Tigers have won just one of four games and are last on the ladder for two-dayers.
Nick McInerney will be a key player for the visitors with bat and ball and will need to be at his best to give his side a chance of making finals.
McInerney has scored 181 runs this season at an average of 36.2 and has claimed 12 scalps at an average 10.75.
Isaac Mulraney has also proven to be a dangerous pace-bowler and is a player the Tigers will turn to as they look to break through the side with the most runs scored per wicket lost in the league.
For Penola, Jack Mullan and Lachy Jones have been key players with the ball and have claimed 31 wickets between them.
Back on Day 1 of Round 10, Mullan claimed five wickets against the Roos and will be a key player once the ball starts to wear.
The Eagles will also look to Drew Clayfield, who has the best batting average in the competition.
The Penola captain has scored 267 runs this year at an average of 44.5
North will head into this as underdogs and Penola should have enough strength in its ranks to secure a victory and push for a potential spot in the top-two depending on other results.
