Kaleidoscopic carnival

THE last round before Christmas will be played in the SMCA tomorrow.

Naturally, with the fixture allowing just one day, the coloured clothes are coming back out.

Sale-Maffra has done amazingly well to enjoy a relatively uninterrupted first-half of the season.

Many other associations across Gippsland did not see any cricket played for the entire month of October due to rain.

With a one dayer slotting into a one-week window, perhaps now is a good time to get the ball rolling on a similar topic.

I’ve always maintained the last round before finals should be a one dayer.

Places in the top four often come down to teams needing outrights, and two day games mean conditions can seriously be altered one week to the next.

While you trust people to do the right thing and never want to suggest conditions are manipulated, having a one dayer eliminates this possibility completely.

It’s back

COUNTRY Week is back!

After a two year absence, the annual tournament is making a return.

Country Week will be played in Melbourne from Monday, February 14 to Friday, February 18.

This season is being used to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the very first Melbourne Country Week (1921/22).

The Victorian Country Cricket League is planning an event in Ballarat on the eve of the carnival (Sunday, February 13) with a rematch between the teams from the first ever final.

Sale-Maffra has been among the top sides at Country Week over the years, playing in the Provisional Division.

The Sharks have performed strongly taking on much bigger regions such as Geelong, Mornington and Bendigo.

Sale-Maffra last won the provisional title in 2014/15.

The team on that occasion was: Matt Dowsett, Jake Benfield, Dylan Bolton, Josh Davis, Rohan Diamond, Brett Lanigan, Josh Rurawhe, Ben Saxon, Anthony Scott, Brad Scott, Jack Tatterson, and a very young Jack Rietschel.

How is Geelong regional?

Most subjective

AN interesting conversation started among the faithful during the week, after Herald Sun/Leader journalist Shane Jones asked for the best SMCA players from 2000 onwards.

Always guaranteed to get discussion going, names such as Travis Birt, Stuart Anderson, Nathan King, Adrian Burgiel and Ian Wrigglesworth featured prominently.

Modern day players such as Jack Tatterson and Steve Spoljaric also rated. Granted Spoljaric played most of his cricket in Dandenong, his performances since coming to the SMCA have been exceptional.

On a grading system, Birt would have to rate the highest because he played for Australia.

One name however did seem to get a mention more than most – Neil Tatterson.

The Stratford legend is regarded as a true great of local cricket, and speaking to some people, they believe he could still easily play A Grade.

He was still timing the ball perfectly against A Grade quality bowlers (and with no lid), on the Stratford practise wicket a few seasons ago.

Anything even fractionally short – he just smashed it unmercifully.

Long time

WHAT a difference a week makes.

Game number 101 proved to be much better than the 100th.

In my 100th, we lost off the very last ball of the game.

This coming when the opposition needed 47 to win off the last 30 balls.

And there was five out. (Yes, it was a decent choke).

Seven days later, I came in needing 15 to win on a tricky surface, and managed to tuck the winning runs away. This coming after taking three top order wickets earlier in the day.

There is just no explaining cricket sometimes.