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HUNTLY-NORTH EPSOM v KANGAROO FLAT
12.30pm Saturday at Strauch Reserve.
Big clash between two sides that sit second and third on the ladder.
It's a case of so far, so good, for the Roos, who are carrying high expectation this season and have won their opening three games under new captain Chris Barber.
Will again be without Matt Dwyer (broken finger), leaving Josh Collinson with the added responsibility of wicket-keeping to go with his role opening the batting.
Having been outplayed by Strathdale-Maristians in the opening round the Power have since hit back well with a pair of wins over Bendigo (64 runs) and Eaglehawk (three wickets).
Along with being a battle between two sides that have the capabilities of being there when the whips are cracking in March, the other key selling point of this game is Kangaroo Flat recruit Lewis Stabler taking on his former team for the first time.
Left-arm paceman Stabler was huge for the Power last season taking 40 wickets.
However, when he steps back onto Strauch Reserve on Saturday it will be in Kangaroo Flat colours with the new ball in hand.
Last time: Huntly-North Epsom 9-183 def Kangaroo Flat 181.
Since 2000: Kangaroo Flat 17; Huntly-North Epsom 7.
THE TEAMS:
Huntly-North Epsom - Elliott Massina (c), Cameron Berry, Adam Ward, Ryan Grundy, Danushka Wijemanna, Brett Elvey, Malan Madusanka, Shiran Thiwanka Kulathunga, Sandun Ranathunga, Thusith Alboruge, Supun Devinda, Abe Sladden.
Kangaroo Flat - Christopher Barber (c), Adam Burns, Kenny Beith, Brent Hamblin, Jake Klemm, Dylan Klemm, Nathan Newlan, Daniel Barber, Josh Collinson, Ryan Harling, Lewis Stabler.
BENDIGO v WHITE HILLS
12.30pm Saturday at QEO.
The return to the Demons of Brayden Stepien headlines this tussle at the QEO.
Stepien shapes as the biggest X-factor in the game. If he can in and get going with support around him then the Demons will have the QEO scoreboard attendant working overtime.
The explosive left-hander is back in Bendigo for the weekend's double-header and will also line up for the Demons on Sunday against Huntly-North Epsom.
So far this season there have been only three scores of more than 200 made by teams and the Goers have conceded two of them at the QEO - 8-212 last week against Huntly-North Epsom and 7-270 against Strathdale-Maristians seven days earlier.
Will be hard work again for the Goers containing the flow of runs if they don't see the back of Stepien early.
Last time: White Hills 299 def Bendigo 160.
Since 2000: Bendigo 15; White Hills 14; Tied 1.
THE TEAMS:
Bendigo - Nathan Fitzpatrick (c), Kyle Humphrys, Shane Koop, Dylan Johnstone, Jotham Higgs, Craig Pearce, Kayle Thompson, Declan Slingo, Xav Ryan, Noah Begg, Bailey George.
White Hills - Mitchell Winter-Irving (c), Caleb Barras, Tyrone Muir, Lincoln Jacobs, Zachary Poole, Gavin Bowles, Jayden Sheean, Rhys Irwin, Hamish Richards, Nicholas Wallace, Brayden Stepien.
EAGLEHAWK v BENDIGO UNITED
12.30pm Saturday at Canterbury Park.
The Hawks and Redbacks head into their tussle at Canterbury Park with just one win between them.
Eaglehawk - which has won the toss and batted first each game - beat Golden Square in the opening round, but has since lost to Kangaroo Flat (six wickets) and Huntly-North Epsom (three wickets).
With the Hawks ranked No.2 with the ball and the only team with an economy rate under 3.00 (2.94), they need to get more out of their batting, which has long been a familiar tale for Eaglehawk.
The Redbacks are now the only side in the competition without a win and have been dismissed cheaply (114 by Golden Square, 140 by Sandhurst) chasing scores the past two weeks.
The Redbacks have an inclusion in their side in bowler Jiwon Choi, who has represented Korea.
If you want to have a look at Choi in action, google "Jiwon Choi caught and bowled" to see a spectacular dismissal.
Last time: Bendigo United 6-179 def Eaglehawk 63.
Since 2000: Eaglehawk 14; Bendigo United 13.
THE TEAMS:
Eaglehawk - Cory Jacobs (c), Joshua Williams, Aaron Monro, Richard Tibbett, Anthony West, Nash Viney, Benjamin Williams, Angus Chisholm, Brendan Archbold, Nicholas Farley, Russell Stockdale.
Bendigo United - Miggy Podosky (c), Joshua Thurston, Ashley Younghusband, Riley Treloar, Harrison Donegan, Tom Batters, Billy Quirk, Benjamin Daley, Thomas Starr, Jake Thrum, Jiwon Choi.
GOLDEN SQUARE v STRATHFIELDSAYE
12.30pm Saturday at Wade Street.
Square and the Jets both meet off the back of identical formlines - they lost their first two games before notching their first wins last week.
There's a big inclusion for Golden Square with the return of the classy Zane Keighran to add some strength to its batting line-up.
Gun Bulldogs' all-rounder Scott Trollope has taken over the No.1 position in the Addy's MVP rankings following his brilliant 6-10 with the ball and 49 with the bat against Bendigo United last week.
Strathfieldsaye skipper Ben Devanny will be hoping to start the day with some better luck at the toss.
He's 0-3, with the Jets having had to chase in every game so far.
Last time: Strathfieldsaye 170 def Golden Square 99.
Since 2000: Golden Square 19; Strathfieldsaye 6.
THE TEAMS:
Golden Square - Liam Smith (c), Corey Van Aken, Max Grant, Grant Connelly, Jamie Bysouth, Scott Trollope, Tom Campbell, Jack Keating, Riley Hocking, Zane Keighran, Scott Johnson.
Strathfieldsaye - Ben Devanny (c), Pat Felmingham, Jack Stubbs, Jed Rodda, Callum McCarty, Nayana Palamandadige, Mitchell Cheesman, Darcy Hunter, Zoltan Smyth, Savith Priyan, Chathura Damith.
SANDHURST v STRATHDALE-MARISTIANS
12.30pm Saturday at Weeroona Oval.
Strathdale-Maristians will be warm favourites to improve to 4-0 when it takes on Sandhurst at Weeroona Oval.
Can the Dragons be the first team to dismiss star Suns' batsman Grant Waldron this season?
No.3 Waldron has batted three times for scores of 30 n.o., 115 n.o. and 69 n.o.
Doubt there'd be too many times in BDCA history a No.3 batsman hasn't been dimissed across the first three rounds of a season.
The game also features another of the competition's form batsmen in Sandhurst's Dylan Gibson, who has made 150 runs the past fortnight without being dismissed.
Last time: Strathdale-Maristians 8-355 def Sandhurst 112.
Since 2000: Strathdale-Maristians 18; Sandhurst 6.
THE TEAMS:
Sandhurst - Joel Murphy (c), Jack Ryan, Ashley Gray, Dylan Gibson, Ben Leed, William Keck, Nicholas Scullie, Anthony McMahon, Kayde Howard, Braydon Vaz, Nahid Hossain.
Strathdale-Maristians - Ben DeAraugo (c), Cameron Taylor, Grant Waldron, Linton Jacobs, Jack Neylon, Jacob DeAraugo, Sam Johnston, Daniel Clohesy, James Barri, Chris Sole, James Vlaeminck.
TEAM RANKINGS:
BATTING:
1. Strathdale-Maristians
2. Kangaroo Flat
3. White HIlls
4. Sandhurst
5. Strathfieldsaye
6. Huntly-North Epsom
7. Golden Square
8. Bendigo United
9. Bendigo
10. Eaglehawk
.......................................
BOWLING:
1. Golden Square
2. Eaglehawk
3. Strathdale-Maristians
4. Huntly-North Epsom
5. Kangaroo Flat
6. Sandhurst
7. Strathfieldsaye
8. Bendigo United
9. Bendigo
10. White Hills
SUNDAY'S GAMES:
Strathfieldsaye v Eaglehawk
Bendigo United v Kangaroo Flat
Sandhurst v Bendigo
Strathdale-Maristians v Golden Square
White Hills v Huntly-North Epsom
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