Clubs jostling for top spot

A full round of Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association fixtures on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s representative matches makes for a big weekend for most of the association’s top players.

The WA Country XI and Country Colts will be in action, while the ACA Masters clash will attract plenty of interest at the Recreation Ground.

But the glorious unpredictability of cricket will be refuted by one factor — Collie will lose its ladder lead.

The double bonus point win over Marist gave the Coalminers a one-point lead over Harvey-Benger, but their round three bye opens the door for Colts and the Bulls to overtake them.

Coltstake on Hay Park’s modest batting list led by veteran Norman Bedford, and should be too strong with their abundance of talent in Mat Foreman, Luke Morien, James Anderson, Cruize Ciallella, Kobus Wessels, Tony Dau, Murray Goodwin and Clayton Caltsounis.

Harvey-Benger is favoured to beat Dalyellup Beach, with Mat Oxford, Scott Fowler, Darren Bozanich, Ben Ward and skipper Haydn Jones as the keys.

Capel hosts the Beavers, who will be smarting after their big loss, while the home team will be keen to back up the fine batting form which helped them push Colts.

The likely return of captain Jacob Evans alongside in-form bats Tim Hutchison and Tyler Robertson will bolster the young Capel line-up.

Marist’s Adam Spinelli also returns as the Blues look to atone for their embarrassing capitulation when they meet Leschenault at Forrest Park East.

Meanwhile, BDCA selectors have named the team to take on the ACA Masters line-up of former Test stars.

The match will start at 11am after a coaching clinic for youngsters by former Test guns Craig McDermott, Terry Alderman and Greg Matthews.

The selectors have also named a squad from which the Country Cup team will be selected for T20 matches on November 4.

BDCA v ACA Masters:

M. Foreman (c), T. Hutchison, H. Jones, C. Hewson, G. Dehring, T. Buchanan, J. Swallow, J. Hillery, C. Fitt, A. Snell, M. Anderson, G. Tomasini.

Country Cup squad:

All above, plus C. Caltsounis, C. Bilston, K. Wessels, J. Evans, P. Tomasi, P. Reynolds, B. Malatesta, D. Bozanich.