Sport
Haisman Shield ǀ Cats sharpen claws ahead of Numurkah match-up, Jets eager to get back to winning ways
Another enticing round of Cricket Shepparton Haisman Shield matches await this weekend.
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In a return to action last week, Tatura got its first points of the 2022-23 season on the board with a win over Karramomus in the Rod Kilmartin Shield, while reigning premier Mooroopna got the better of a red-hot Central Park-St Brendan’s with an emphatic win at Deakin Reserve.
Both sides, among others, will gear up for a number of mouth-watering encounters this Saturday.
Mooroopna v Numurkah
The Cats have another big task ahead of them in the form of Numurkah, which dispatched of Waaia last weekend in resounding fashion.
Mooroopna coach Luke Zanchetta, who has continued his rich vein of form this season, said this weekend’s clash was another major hurdle in what had been a string of challenging games.
“It’s another massively important game for us, this will sort of round out the top four or five teams we’ve played in a row now,” Zanchetta said.
“It’s a 12-point game essentially when you play these sides, obviously if they get six and you don’t it becomes important in the context of the season.“
Zanchetta said his side was well aware of the firepower the Blues had in their arsenal.
“The last two years I’ve been here they’ve been very strong and the two years before that they won the comp,” Zanchetta said.
“Obviously they knocked off Waaia last year before losing to Ky, they’ve got some great cricketers in Eckard who is quite classy and also Grandell at the top of the order who’s a good bat.
“They’ve added a few imports too which have strengthened their side nicely.”
Two formidable bowling batteries will do battle at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve tomorrow and the Mooroopna coach was under no illusions the game will likely be won by the team able to quell the other’s bowling unit.
An unbeaten 46 from Brodie McDonald guided the Cats home last week against Central Park-St Brendan’s and the in-form opener will be keen to let fire back on his home deck.
“Again it’ll be whichever side’s batters can overcome the bowling line-up like we saw at Central Park, whichever batter can get 50-plus or put on a partnership, that’ll be the side that stands the best chance of winning,” Zanchetta said.
In team news, Mooroopna will be without the services of opening bat Jac Smith-Williams, so will retain Tasman Hall at the top of the order.
Captain Sam O’Brien comes back in as his side returns to its home track for the first time this year.
“It’s going to be a fresh wicket, it’s the first time it’s being used this year, so it’s exciting,” Zanchetta said.
“The decks at Mooroopna in my time have been outstanding and I don’t expect much less, it’s always a good cricket wicket.
“Our curator likes preparing fair wickets, the best side will win most of time and we’re expecting much of the same on Saturday.”
In a major boost for Numurkah, the Blues will welcome back skipper Dylan Grandell for their Mooroopna trip after he missed last week’s win over Waaia.
“We’re really excited, it’ll be a great challenge for us,” Grandell said.
"They’re (Mooroopna) obviously the benchmark team at the moment, so hope we can put in a good performance.
“Taking them on at their place will be a challenge, they’re extremely strong and they’re coming off a really good win, but so are we.”
The Blues’ captain agreed with his Mooroopna counterpart in that whichever side is able to capitalise with the bat this weekend will take all six points.
“They’ve got the quicks and we have dangerous quicks too,” Grandell said.
“Our strength has been our spinners and our ability to keep scores down, if we can bat through our 40 overs and post a good score we’ll be there or thereabouts.
“It sets us up for the rest of the season if we can grab another win against a top four team.”
What the other clubs had to say
Mitch Cleeland, Waaia captain
“It’s been a disaster three weeks for us really, it’s put us in the middle of nowhere. It’s frustrating when you start well and it doesn’t go to plan.
“Our batting has let us down, but our bowling has also been inconsistent, it was good last week, but we’re letting ourselves down in the field and not getting enough runs.
“Our batting has got to lift to get back to the standard of the first three rounds. I’m hoping we’ve learnt from the last three weeks - the ball’s in our court.”
Steve Allen, Northerners coach
“All games are a challenge at the moment for us. I think we’ve just got to back ourselves a little bit, we’ve lost our early confidence, so it’s back to basics.
“We were close probably just before Christmas against Mooroopna and Waaia, but we were outplayed on the weekend, we need to back ourselves a little bit with positive cricket and positive intent.
“It’s going to be very important if we want to play finals to beat sides in the middle of the table, at the start of the season we weren’t sure how the younger guys in the squad would develop and they’ve all shown enough talent in patches, now is where we need to combine as a unit and perhaps put some pressure on the opposition for more than small parts.”
Mark Nolan, Nagambie playing coach
“Old Students are always competitive and can put on a big score with a couple of handy bats in the side. We know we have got to be on our toes.
“This is a pretty important game for us. We know that if we lose this we just about miss out on playing finals, so we’re treating it like a mini-final really.
“We’re back at home and we haven’t been at our best (at home), so we’re looking forward to putting in a good effort.”
Daniel Coombs, Tatura playing coach
“It was nice to get that win last week because it helps give the boys a bit of confidence going forward. It’s amazing what a win can do for a group, so hopefully we can follow it up with another win.
“United have got some dangerous players and I remember last year we had a tight game against them, so I expect this weekend to be the same … we have one change which is Blake Armstrong back in for Bailey Archer who is unavailable.
“(The hot weather) it can help sides punish the opposition in the late overs and I think it can favour batters, but in saying that you’re out there in full equipment.”
Jackson McLay, Kyabram playing coach
“Euroa are in some good form at the moment and they put up a big score last week. For us it’s all about improving our batting, we know we’ve got the bowling line-up to defend scores, but we need to start batting out our 45 overs.
“We’ve got one change this week which is Kaine Herbert due to unavailability, but we welcome in Alec Young who is another left-arm spinner. Alec is a former A-grade captain and he’s been flat out with work and has just been in B-grade where he’s been in good form, so he’ll be a handy inclusion.”