Lalor Warriors need to find some form – and to have some luck go their way – if they are to feature in North Metro Cricket Association’s Jika Shield finals.
After being on top of the ladder at Christmas, the Warriors have lost four of five games since.
On Saturday, the Warriors needed their best batting if they were to be a chance to overhaul Holy Trinity’s huge first-innings total.
Trinity set the Warriors 369 for victory.
The Warriors fought hard yet still fell more than 100 runs short – all out for 247.
Bhathiya Rathnayake scored 104 for the Warriors. He has made a century and two half-centuries in the past six matches.
The Warriors are fifth on the ladder, three points outside the top four heading into the final round. To make the finals, the first part of the equation for the Warriors is to beat long-time rival and ladder leaders Rivergum.
Providing they claim a first-innings win, they also need either North Brunswick/Rosebank to lose to Keon Park or Olympic Colts to defeat Northern Socials.
An outright win and Northern Socials winning on first-innings points would also be enough for the Warriors to get a finals spot.
Rivergum returned to the winners’ list with a victory against North Brunswick/Rosebank.
Northcote United and Olympic Colts played out the game of the season, with the two teams unable to be split at the end of their innings.
Colts made 216 on day one, with United looking on track for victory when needing seven runs with three wickets in hand.
Losing the wicket of set batsman Matthew Glesson started a mini-collapse, with United also all out for 216.
Keon Park made it two wins in a row by defeating Northern Socials.
In the Quick Shield, Bundoora Park accounted for Preston YCW District in a thriller.
Needing 223, Bundoora Park looked to be headed to an easy win at 5-197.
But it then lost 4-24 and still needed two runs with a wicket in hand. Bundoora Park managed to seal the win. Opener Daniel Snyder made 143 in the win. Bundoora Park is six points outside the top four with one round remaining.
Meanwhile, Rivergum is through to the Northern Region T20 final after defeating Epping in the semi-finals.
Epping elected to bat first, making 5-118 from its 20 overs. Thomas Emmins top scored with 36.
The Kookas, the only North Metro Cricket Association team in the semi-finals, made 3-122 in reply, hitting the winning runs with 11 balls to spare.
The Kookas will play Riverside in the final.
