Hoppers Crossing’s finals hopes could hinge on a massive run chase against top-of-the-ladder Yarraville Club in the VTCA senior division at Hansen Reserve on Saturday.
The Cats will be asked to eclipse the defending champion Clubbers’ total of 8-275 or be at the mercy of Strathmore, which could steal their place in the final four.
Strathmore is in the box seat in its match against relegation-bound Greenvale Kangaroos after posting 9-255, so it will be a nerve-racking final day for both clubs.
The Cats, at least, have their destiny in their own hands.
If they can pick off the hefty 276 runs for victory, they will play finals.
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Point Cook will be in for the fight of its life, needing to extract enough points out of its local derby with finals aspirant Wyndhamvale to avoid finishing on the bottom.
The Warriors’ survival hopes are dangling by a thread after the team meandered through the opening day’s play.
It was bowled out for a painfully slow 96 in 71.3 overs – a run rate of just 1.34 per over.
Jay Dolliver left a trail of destruction en route to 4-13 from 16.3 overs.
Dolliver is seventh in the competition for wickets, having taken 28 at a tidy 11.39 but this was a containing job at its best.
Helping Dolliver do the damage for the Falcons were Chris Plummer (2-23), Ryan Radford (2-19) and Lance Macdougall (2-13).
There is simply no let-up for batsmen facing the Falcons’ bowling attack, hence the slow per over rate. Travis Bean top-scored for the Warriors with 20.
The Falcons, who need to win to assure themselves a spot in the finals, were 0-20 at stumps, just 77 from victory.
The fifth-placed Footscray United, the only side that could leap into fourth, has already succumbed on first innings and will need an outright to displace the Falcons.
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Seabrook, playing for nothing more than pride, posted 209 against Footscray ANA after 92 from middle-order batsman Dhavel Patel. ANA was 1-36 at stumps.
