Two cricket stars face off in a race to reach milestones as Chapman Valley hopes to find form

This weekend’s Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League feature is a 30-over women’s game between Sportsmans and Wanderers at GBSC4 that will include a race to a milestone.

Sportsmans are unbeaten but reigning premiers Wanderers aim to avenge a loss to Sporties on November 6 and lead the Young Motors table.

Sportsmans’ captain Jo Walker has bowled superbly with 12 wickets at 6.66 and needs just 23 runs and four wickets to be first to reach 500 runs and 50 wickets.

Only Wanderers’ Sam Biddiscombe could pip her — she needs four runs and six wickets and though the latter is unlikely, she can bowl up to six overs and a career bowling average of 4.50 makes it possible.

“Wanderers are still the team to beat; they’re a great all-round team but we’re slowly improving and match up well against them,” Walker said.

Sporties won’t have Sarah Prickett who, along with Chapman Valley Northampton’s Kylie Bremner, is representing WA at the National Over 40 Women’s Titles in Melbourne.

With Prickett absent, the pressure is on others to step up, such as young gun Hayley Criddle.

“Sarah’s a massive loss; she’s the great wall behind the stumps and in batting form and with Stacey McCartney out this year someone else will have a chance with the gloves,” Walker said.

“Hayley is working hard on all aspects of her game; her batting and fielding are better which has helped her confidence with the ball.

“She gives us energy and has been the fire starter most weeks and fingers crossed has another day out.”

The other women’s game is at GBSC3, where Towns should overwhelm a winless Chapman Valley side whose batting has been lacklustre in past weeks.

In men’s cricket, Bluff Point and Chapman Valley-Northampton will both be pulling double duty as they face off in tonight’s T20 clash.

Chapman Valley has just the one win this season, though that did come against Bluff Point in their one-day meeting in round three, and will hope they can recapture that form after suffering two batting collapses last week.

Bluff Point are coming off two straight losses but can give themselves a great chance to qualify for the T20 final if they can get the job done tonight to make it two from two in the short game.

Saturday should be an entertaining clash between Bluff Point and Sportsmans, with both teams locked on a 3-3 record and separated by less than two points in a battle for second spot.

Sportsmans were in terrific form before being blown away by Ringo McKenna but should still be favourites for the weekend, especially if Andrew Korol is back in the line-up.

Towns should be too strong for CVN at Mazzuchelli Oval. Towns are unbeaten in the one-day series and Rams have struggled to cobble together competitive totals, with 131 being the best effort so far this season.