WITH the Bendigo Bank Bendigo District Cricket Association season to resume this Saturday, LUKE WEST takes a look at five points of interest.1. Can the Power stay switched on? One of the stories of the BDCA season has been the improvement of Huntly-North Bendigo.It has been well documented the Power has finished on the bottom of the ladder for the past seven years.However, this season after some strong recruiting the Power are no longer the easybeats.The Power spent five of the first eight rounds of the season in the top four, including holding down top spot after round five.The Power resumes after the mid-season break in fifth position, but are winless in the past three rounds.With six rounds left to play, can the Power remain competitive and continue to push for a dream finals berth, or has the side peaked and the past three rounds are a sign of things to come?The Power took too many steps forward before Christmas to let the season just peter out from here.2. Can Matthew Elliott lift the Goers? After making the finals for the first time in a decade last year, it has been a season to forget for the Goers.After eight rounds the Goers have just one win and sit on the bottom of the ladder. This time a year ago they were on top.As far as finals are concerned, the season is basically a write-off as the Goers are three games – plus percentage – outside the top four.However, the Goers are due to get some firepower back into the top-order starting this weekend against Strathfieldsaye with the return of Matthew Elliott, whose sole game this season was in round one against Eaglehawk, which remains the Goers’ only win.The 40-year-old is one of the BDCA’s key attractions, but his season has been soured by missing the past seven games with a knee injury.The Goers’ batting has been sorely lacking, but Elliott’s inclusion back into the top-order gives Bendigo the most dangerous batsman in the competition.After all, there are no other players who have played Test cricket for Australia – let alone scored three Test centuries – running around in the BDCA at the moment.Finals look out of the question, but if Elliott fires the Goers could yet play a role in shaping the top four.3. How far can the Hawks go? Last season Eaglehawk was the form team of the BDCA at the end of the home and away season, but paid the price for its slow start.The Hawks didn’t win a game before Christmas last season, but were undefeated after the break, only to miss the finals by one game.This season the Hawks again made a slow start, going winless for the first five rounds, but they have since won their past three games in convincing style.Bottom of the ladder after round five, the Hawks are now fourth.The Hawks had a few sides looking over their shoulders post-Christmas last year. They may do so again over these next six rounds, particularly if paceman Richard Tibbett hits his straps upon his return from Victoria Country duties. 4. Can the Redbacks make another grand final? Usually, it’s no surprise at the halfway point of the season to see perennial power Bendigo United sitting on top of the ladder.Only this season, the Redbacks were tipped to be one of the sliders of the competition after losing a host of batting experience from last year’s grand final team.However, the Redbacks are once again remaining a force and after eight rounds sit a game clear, at the top, plus they have just welcomed back Heath Behrens from his short-lived retirement.The Redbacks, who have lost just one game, are safely entrenched by two games, plus percentage, inside the top four and from this position would need to drop away significantly after the break to miss the finals.With the Redbacks in a healthy position at the halfway mark, they have to be a chance to make what would be their seventh grand final in the past 10 years.A betting man would have got juicy odds for that in October.5. Who will make the finals? One of the most intriguing aspects of the season so far is the evenness.While reigning premier Strathdale-Maristians is widely regarded as the best side on paper, the Suns have been beaten twice by sides outside the top four in Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye when they have been bowled out for under 150.There are no games that can be deemed gimmes, with the evenness of the competition best epitomised by the fact just nine points separate second-placed Strathdale from eighth-placed White Hills.It’s hard to see Kangaroo Flat and Bendigo – each with just one win – playing finals from here, but the other eight teams are all in a position to challenge.To use a footy cliché, there are going to be plenty of “eight point” games over the remainder of the season as the sides jostle for those precious four spots in the finals, where anything can then happen. Although in cricket, I guess they are “12 point” games.