By MATT NICHOLLS
LADDER positions will become crystal clear in the Armidale District Cricket Association first-grade competition on Saturday night, with both matches set to bring some clarity to the table.
Ladder leaders Hillgrove and City, which are tied on 34 points, will go head to head at Lambert Park for outright honours, while Ex-Services and Easts, which are tied on 28 points, will do battle for outright third position.
In the four-team first grade competition, the minor premier goes straight into the grand final, while the fourth team misses out on the finals.
City captain Stephen Butler said he was looking forward to playing Hillgrove.
“We think we have hit form at the right time and if you go back through Hillgrove’s last eight matches, they have only won three of them,” he said.
“I know we want to finish on top of the ladder and guarantee that grand final spot, because in this competition, everyone is capable of beating everyone, so you don’t want to miss out by playing one bad game in a final.”
City will be without star bowler Karl Triebe on Saturday, but Hillgrove will be missing Matt Schaefer, balancing these omissions out.
Both sides go into the match in contrasting form.
On Saturday, City hammered Ex-Services at the Sportsground, defending its total of 206 by bowling out the opposition for 86.
Angus Reckord (87) made a steady innings when City was in early trouble, while Brad Smith (52) helped at the top of the order.
Butler took 4/2 to clean up the tail, but the real heroes with the ball were Adam Sweeny and Andrew Skinner, who each took three wickets.
Meanwhile, Hillgrove was stunned by Easts when it was skittled for a paltry 68 at Harris Park, chasing 9/190.
Josh Taylor (57), Henry Cupitt (31) and Ben Hanlan (31) helped Easts post a defendable tally before the bowlers ripped through a fragile Colts batting line-up.
Sam Uphill and Sam Constance each took 3/19, while Taylor nabbed 2/4 to back up his batting.
Easts will be hoping the confidence boosting win holds the side in good stead when it faces Ex-Services at the Sportsground this Saturday.
