James Murphy
WEST GAMBIER v PENOLA
PENOLA will make its way to the Blue Lake city to play West Gambier when the 2023-24 Barber Shield cricket season resumes this weekend.
The Round 7 clash will be played in the one-day format and while the Eagles eagerly chase their first win of the season, it will not be an easy feat against the second-placed Roos.
Penola has yet to find its groove and after five outings have suffered five losses, one of which was an outright.
It leaves much to be desired but with just four rounds remaining in the home-and-away season, the time for action is now.
If the Eagles are to turn things around and make another finals appearance, there is no better place to start than an upset over the in-form Roos.
On paper Penola has talent to spare, with the likes of big-hitting opener Jack Mullan, experienced all-rounder Michael Waters and young-guns Ned Skeer and Jacob Robbie – to name but a few.
However, for whatever reason it is yet to all come together for the Eagles.
They have posted some decent batting totals and taken some good wicket hauls, but each time their opponent has had the better of the contest.
They will seek to change that this weekend, but West will not make it easy.
The Roos enter the 2024 leg of their season in red-hot form with four consecutive wins keeping them nipping at the heels of ladder-leader Mil Lel.
They finished the year with a one-day win over the top-placed side and only sit in second due to Mil Lel’s outright win over Penola.
Sam Willis is currently nearing career-best form after a string of impressive outings with both bat and ball.
He made 65 runs in Round 6 to back up a Round 5 century of 129-not-out.
He also has a solid total of 12 wickets for the season to date, with his biggest haul a five-wicket effort in Round 3.
Roos captain Bray Stephenson has also been solid in both disciplines, while Nuwan Gunawardana comes off a 58-run performance prior to the Christmas break.
There are few weak links in the West roster and it should get the job done over the Eagles.
