Lara Cricket Club is two wins away from a perfect season, Rosellas chase back-to-back titles
Lara is two Ws away from a perfect season, Thomson is looking to reclaim its winning ways under the heat of finals while Lethbridge plots its first step towards back-to-back flags.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
History beckons as the all-conquering Lara Cricket Club enters March action with one of the greatest demotion responses in GCA history.
The Cats, who were dropped to the second tier for the 2024-25 season, boasts first and second grade outfits yet to taste defeat while its thirds and fourths finished on top after the regular season.
All in all, Lara has endured just seven losses from 63 fixtures across all four grades.
In the ones, Lara is two wins off replicating a completely spotless season, a feat achieved by Leopold’s ones exactly 30 summers ago in 1994-95.
It comes as St Peter’s won GCA2 first, second and third grade flags last season, and its fourths played off in a grand final, while North Geelong has its three top grades playing finals this year.
Rain has been forecast for Sunday, which could add an extra element of drama and complexity for all teams.
However, the Cats will face one of the few teams to seriously push them this season in Murgheboluc, with their last fixture decided by just 16 runs back in Round 12.
Robert Sodomaco made 85 back in that February match against the Frogs and has produced fantastic post-Christmas form with 254 runs at 84.6, sliding into seventh on the GCA2 batting aggregate for the regular season.
With the ball, Frogs spinner Jason Grozdanovski has produced a season for the ages with 36 wickets at 12 apiece and was particularly economical against the Cats (2-58 off 24 overs).
Nobody has taken more wickets across any grade or division in 24-25.
Meanwhile, Bell Park will begin its quest for back-to-back flags across two divisions when it plays Torquay in a semi-final.
The Dragons, who beat Thomson in last year’s GCA3 first grade grand final by nine wickets, go into the match with one of the competition’s most in-form batters, Nikhil Deep Pottabathini.
Bell Park’s recruiting team have done well to snare him and Tasmania’s Sam Elliston-Buckley at the top of the order.
Pottabathini has produced 599 runs at 66.5 since opening the season with back-to-back ducks.
The Tigers smashed Bell Park by 121 runs in Round 6 but have struggled for consistency after banking three wins in a row early in the season.
But you’d never discount a quality cricketing program at Spring Creek Reserve.
Key players:
Lara
Robert Sodomaco
Sodomaco has been exceptional form since late November, with 399 runs at 99.75.
Enjoyed the perfect pre-finals tune up with 101 against top four team Torquay in Round 14, after moving from six to four in the batting order.
Murgheboluc
Jason Grozdanovski
No surprises here with master spinner Grozdanovski GCA2’s leading bowler with 36 wickets at 12.06 during the regular season.
Grozdanovski has also contributed important runs at number six with two scores in the 60s.
Bell Park
Nikhil Pottabathini
Major credit to the Dragons’ recruiting team with the club’s top two batters on the runs aggregate being new additions this year.
Pottabathini now leads all comers in GCA2 while Tasmania’s Sam Elliston-Buckley has produced a solid season of 351 runs at 35.1.
Torquay
Ash Russell
The Tigers champion has hit two half centuries from his past three knocks, plus a 39, while chiming in with the superb figures of 5-57 off 29 overs against Bell Post Hill in Round 13.
Second for total runs and first for total wickets at Spring Creek Reserve underlines his quality.
Tigers look for a response after timid end to the regular season
Thomson will look to recapture its earlier season form after going winless from its past three matches when it faces Alexander Thomson in the first week of finals on Saturday at Godfrey St.
The Vikings enjoyed some batting practice in Round 14, compiling 9-386 against Bannockburn.
And AT has the firepower to match the Tigers, dismissing last year’s grand finalists for 165 in Round 7 when they last faced off with Jay Dunstan taking 3-44.
Dunstan finished the regular season with 23 wickets at 19.9.
Meanwhile young gun opener Seb Dew returned to form with his maiden first grade century (102) in Round 14 and appears to have taken his game to new levels.
However, the Tigers lost its last eight wickets 117 at the Devils Playground as arguably the competition’s premier player in Anthony Grace completed possibly the finest all-round performance in GCA history with 8-106, complementing his unbeaten 179 the previous Saturday.
Meanwhile, Marshall, who won the GCA3 club championship after being demoted from second division, will enjoy facing the promoted Waurn Ponds for the second game running at Lawn Addicts Oval.
The Eagles will surely have a few demons after being resorted to 5-1 last Saturday as Blayke Sadler took 5-10 off 11 overs with seven maidens.
Key players:
Thomson
Seb Dew
Has clearly benefited from 18 months of continuous cricket after spending the off-season in the UK.
Broke through with his maiden first grade ton last round against Corio and has become the club’s most important batter in 24-25.
Leads his team’s batting aggregate by almost 100 runs, complemented by 15 wickets at 17.87 with his left arm orthodox.
Alexander Thomson
Jesse Thornton
The Viking’s leading batter in 24-25, Thornton struck 102 in the final round against Bannockburn after an unbeaten 36 versus Corio.
Marshall
Blayke Sadler
Hard to go past the man who played a huge role in resorting the Eagles to 5-1 last Saturday, returning the stunning figures of 5-10 off 11 overs.
Sadler, who played his first four games in second grade, has taken eight wickets at six runs apiece from his past three matches and batting has been far from Waurn Ponds’ strongest suit in 24-25.
Waurn Ponds Deakin
Nicholas Phillips
The Eagles captain brilliantly withstood the Bears’ charge last Saturday, standing resolute at number four with 56 runs among five ducks.
Shown incredible resilience after a tough mid-season – eight runs from five hits – striking 158 runs at 39.5 from his past four innings.
Dinos chase fourth time lucky against the reigning premiers
It will be a battle of the super bats and bowlers in a fourth division semi-final this Saturday.
Little River’s Nicholas Fairchild (729 runs at 48.6) pipped gun Meredith recruit Harli Givvens by just one run to win the batting aggregate during the regular season.
Fairchild also took out the bowling aggregate with 35 wickets at 11.94, two just two poles ahead of the Rams’ Chesney Milne.
He has combined with Redbacks teammate Luke Wright for 68 wickets this year so far, with Little River winning both of its completed matches against the Rams in 24-25.
Fairchild starred in their last encounter with 85 off 70s ball and 4-31 in a 75-run win in Round 16.
Meanwhile, Lethbridge will take plenty of confidence from whipping Newcomb & District by 156 runs on Saturday as they face off in the other semi-final.
The Rosellas, who have three times beaten the Dinos this year, and in comfortable fashion, are hunting back-to-back trophies and would be in the frame for promotion.
Key players:
Little River
Nicholas Fairchild
Has dominated with both bat and ball for the Redbacks, averaging 48.6 with the stick and 11.94 with the rock.
Andrew Spengler
Made 55 not out in his final innings for the home and away season and could be primed for a big finals campaign after starting the season with 267 at 53 from the first five games.
Played in an A2 grand final last year with Drysdale but was next in to bat in an eight-wicket win.
Meredith
Harli Givvens
The GCA4 recruit of the year, Givvens came second in the first grade batting aggregate, belting back-to-back tons before Christmas while producing four half centuries and a 49.
Givvens, who played first grade with East Ballarat last season, will surely be on the radar of a few other GCA clubs ahead of 25-26.
Lethbridge
Shane Dillon
Mr March for the Rosellas.
The all-rounder was exceptional in last year’s finals series with scores of 61 not in week one and an unbeaten 90 in the decider, while taking 3-20 and 3-24 respectively.
Has scores of 79 and an unbeaten 143 from his past three digs since early February.
Newcomb & District
Eugene Stanciu
The captain has been incredibly consistent since mid-January, with 327 runs at 65.4, and could be poised for a finals-shaping score.
Has strong form against Saturday’s opponent, with scores of 49 not out and 62 from his past two hits over that golden period.
Originally published as Lara Cricket Club is two wins away from a perfect season, Rosellas chase back-to-back titles
GFNL signing tracker: Inside intel on every recruit and departure
Haven’t been keeping track of the comings and goings this Geelong league off-season? Here are all the signings and departure with full profiles on every recruit.
Union calls for Deakin University investigation
The National Tertiary Education Union have questioned the legitimacy of a restructure led by Peter Auhl that saw his former colleagues appointed to high-ranking positions.