By Jonty Ralphsmith
With just three rounds remaining in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 3 competition, it remains tremendously difficult to get a read on which teams are pulling away and have the advantage heading into finals.
Only seven points separate first from fifth on the ladder, a series of defining matches awaiting the competition in the last month of the season.
Despite the treachery of the task, we’ve cast our eye over what is to come and what each team needs to do to qualify for finals.
Current ladder
Doveton North 50, Fountain Gate 47, Coomoora 46, Lynbrook 45, Berwick Springs 43, Silverton 30, Doveton 18, Hampton Park 9
Doveton North
The run home: Coomoora, Silverton, Doveton
Every team plays one of the two struggling Turf 3 sides in the run home, with the Lions getting Doveton in the last round. Provided Doveton North win that, it should hold on to qualify for finals regardless of the results across the next two weeks.
Fountain Gate
The run home: Berwick Springs, Lynbrook, Hampton Park
The loss to Silverton makes it a little bit tricky for Fountain Gate despite a promising season. The Gators, Lynbrook, Berwick Springs and Hampton Park all play each other across the last three rounds. Fountain Gate has the slight upper hand given it is two and four points clear of Lynbrook and Berwick Springs respectively, but still likely needs to win against Hampton Park and one other opponent.
Coomoora
The run home: Doveton North, Doveton, Silverton
The outright over Hampton Park was the result that Coomoora needed. Of the five teams in the running, Coomoora probably has the most gentle draw, and could lock in a finals spot by winning its next two games
Lynbrook
The run home: Hampton Park, Fountain Gate, Berwick Springs
The advantage Lynbrook has over other teams is that it has the struggling Hampton Park in a two-dayer, opening up the possibility of an outright. The Lakers set themselves up well if they do that. If they get only the first innings points, there is every chance the round 14 clash with Berwick Springs will be a shootout for fourth spot.
Berwick Springs
The run home: Fountain Gate, Hampton Park, Lynbrook
Coming off two consecutive wins, including an outright, Berwick Springs has the opportunity to build some momentum. The way the draw falls means that, despite sitting two points outside the top four currently, winning two of its next three should still be sufficient to qualify.
Silverton
The run home: Doveton, Doveton North, Coomoora
Sits 15 points outside the top four and given how many teams vying for finals still have to play each other, it will be just about impossible to make up the difference. We have Doveton North finishing fourth on 56 points; the maximum points Silverton can achieve is 52.
Doveton
The run home
Silverton, Coomoora, Doveton North
Doveton will be looking to put a dent in some finals hopes and fight hard with finals out of the equation.
Hampton Park
The run home: Lynbrook, Berwick Springs, Fountain Gate
Winless so far, would need two wins to lift it off the bottom of the ladder.
Predicted final ladder
Coomoora 64, Fountain Gate 59, Lynbrook 57, Doveton North 56, Berwick Springs 55, Silverton 46, Doveton 18, Hampton Park 12
