By MATT NICHOLLS
ARMIDALE District Cricket Association’s first grade sides enter the final round of the season with everything to play for after another intriguing twist in the competition last Saturday.
City and Hillgrove are guaranteed to play finals, but a guaranteed grand final berth is up for grabs for the side that finishes on top.
City, which has a two-point buffer over the Colts, has the upper hand, but a loss to an Easts team would make it vulnerable.
Easts can guarantee a finals berth if it defeats City, while Ex-Services must hope it can defeat Hillgrove and that City loses to climb back into the finals.
Every scenario is possible in a season that has been full of swings and roundabouts.
On Saturday, Hillgrove stunned City at the New England Mutual Sportsground, skittling the Royals for 105 as they pursued the Colts’ tally of 7/166.
Cameron Wood took the key wickets of Brad Smith, Andrew Skinner and Hugh Reckord before going on to finish with 4/26 from 12 overs.
Mitch Moore cleaned up the middle and lower order to boast figures of 5/18 from his eight-over spell.
A first-wicket partnership between Josh Croft (57) and Michael Dawson (35) gave Hillgrove the start they needed after captain Brad King won the toss and batted.
The only negative for the Colts was when King retired hurt after injuring a calf muscle, which will rule him out of this Saturday’s match against Ex-Services.
He could also be in doubt for the first week of the finals if Hillgrove is required to play.
