HDCA


HAVING had the last three weeks off for the Christmas Break, Casterton District, Pigeon Ponds and Tahara enter the last half of the Hamilton and District Cricket Association A grade season having to reset goals for the remainder of the summer.


There are five rounds remaining in the 2024-25 season and only two of the local teams can reach the semifinals.


Casterton District currently is on the eighth rung of the premiership ladder and is 22 points adrift of fourth place, while Pi-geon Ponds is one rung lower but 34 points behind fourth.


Tahara will not make finals but after being promoted to the top grade this summer, the Blue Caps have performed better than the results show and the team may well hold the finals chances of those teams above them in their hands.


Casterton District has only themselves to blame for not being higher on the ladder as the Maroons should have defeated Port-land Tigers in round seven when chasing only 75 for victory.


To be bowled out for only 68 (and bat one player short) is inexcusable after the great work the bowlers did after Tigers won the toss and batted, but victory in the last round before Christmas put the team back on track.


The Maroons have a very tough draw to finish the summer with a home game against St Andrews, An away game at Pigeon Ponds, home game against reigning premiers Tyrendarra, and away game against Portland Colts and finally a home game against Grampians.


Of these teams listed above, only Pigeon Ponds is below Casterton District on the ladder at present which does not bode well for the Maroons.


Pigeon Ponds cannot drop a game from here until the finals if they want to feature in the post season.


The Pigeons have only four games from which to score enough points to reach the top four due to not having had its bye yet.


They have games against College, Tahara and Tyrendarra, as well as the game against Casterton District, and the team can de-feat all these teams but they will have to be at their very best to get the better of the Darras.


Tahara cannot reach the finals but can cause great damage to the teams looking towards the playoffs.


The Blue Caps also only have four games remaining plus a bye and will have home games against Hamilton and Pigeon Ponds while being away to Gorae-Portland and College.


Only College should be too good for the Blue Caps but the talent is within the team to clip the Eagles wings, while also being good enough to defeat the other three too.