UPPER Loddon senior cricketers go into their first two-day matches for the season knowing that the results will crucially shape the finals race.
The Saturday games pit first against second with Wedderburn Band hosting top side Kingower, while Boort Yando at home to Bridgewater Bulls sees the fourth- and fifth-placed teams battling for the last spot in the finals.
Kingower, Wedderburn and Arnold – which has the bye – are certain to play finals, leaving the Magpies and Bulls to fight it out for fourth.
Victory for Kingower at Wedderburn would likely make it unassailable at the top, with only two rounds remaining after the coming two-dayer.
The imponderable is Wedderburn’s situation, given the Band had to forfeit against Arnold last Saturday due to a lack of players.
Both Wedderburn and Kingower have a bye before the end of the season, leaving the Band to face Boort Yando in a two-day clash in round 15 and Kingower to play Bridgewater in the last round.
The last time Wedderburn and Kingower met was in the Loddon Herald Cup T20 competition, won by Kingower on the Band’s turf pitch.
Boort Yando is three points ahead of Bridgewater on the ladder, but has an inferior ‘quotient’, the measure used to separate teams on equal points, so the Magpies need to win to remain in fourth.