By Jonty Ralphsmith
The table-toppers against a team looking to maintain a buffer on its top-four position.
If that sentence was uttered in preseason about a game between Dandenong District Cricket Association Turf 3 clubs Coomoora and Fountain Gate, you’d have little doubt that the former would be in reference to the Roos.
But a wobblier-than-usual batting line-up and fickle weather robbing them the opportunity to bank straightforward wins has Coomoora at the mid-point of the table as the race starts to ramp up.
Regardless of the fact that opposition teams still use their performances against Coomoora as a measuring stick, the club will be coveting some momentum.
While Coomoora’s four wins is the equal-second most in the competition and both losses have come against Berwick Springs, there is little doubt they have been short of their absolute best.
The inconsistent batting is highlighted by the fact the team is in the bottom-four for runs scored in the competition despite playing on a widely regarded flat surface suited to batting.
Only Liam Hard and Rahoul Pankhania are in the top-20 run scorers in the competition – more than half of Pankhania’s runs coming in one swashbuckling innings.
Likewise, three of five of Coomoora’s scores in excess of 50 this season have come in the same match – a score of 8/352 against Lynbrook.
That 120-run win seemed to signify a return to their best, but they’ve been solid, rather than spectacular with the bat since so will hope to punish Fountain Gate’s spin-dominant attack.
The first match between the sides proves that the ladder is to some degree a misrepresentation of the class of the two sides.
The Gators were bundled for just 90, unable to sustain any pressure on the attacking Coomoora bowlers, and were 3/27 in their second dig at stumps on day one, Coomoora putting 152 runs on the board but not given the opportunity to push for an outright due to rain.
Availability has forced several changes each week for Fountain Gate in the few games either side of Christmas, but whoever has donned the colours has played with intent to advance the game forward and back their tricks, regardless how conventional.
Fear of failure and cautious pessimism has been left in the rear-view mirror.
It’s been spinners and youth who have stepped up recently and they will be hoping to prove they can match the big boys of Turf 3 and maintain their grip on top of the Turf 3 table.
A loss could demote the Gators as low as third, with Lynbrook likely to beat Doveton and Doveton North set to face Berwick Springs in what will be a 50-50 battle.
Silverton will be out for a confidence-boosting win against Hampton Park in the other game.
Tips: Doveton v LYNBROOK, BERWICK SPRINGS v Doveton North, Hampton Park v SILVERTON, COOMOORA v Fountain Gate.
