Wairarapa College will have a point to prove when they meet Rathkeale College in an Umpire's Cup senior men's cricket match at Rathkeale College tomorrow.
The fact Rathkeale have made it through to the finals of the Gillette Cup national secondary schools competition will see them start warm favourites, but it
will also provide Wairarapa College with the ideal incentive to show who is "top dog" amongst the colleges on the local scene, at least.
Rathkeale coach Dick Kendall admits that with players like Wairarapa reps Cameron Stone and Jeremy Anderson leading the way Wairarapa College will provide formidable opposition.
"I must say I have an uneasy feeling about this one??.we'll need to be right on our game to get the result we want," he said.
Having said that though Rathkeale does look to have greater depth in both their batting and bowling, and they will be mindful of the need to maintain a winning habit as they prepare for the Gillette Cup finals.
Red Star have a handy record in Umpires Cup matches this season and while Greytown hammered them in a recent Bidwell Cup two-day game their clash at Greytown tomorrow could be a lot closer than many pundits will be predicting.
A lot will depend on the Stars top order batting which can be brittle but which has enough stroke makers in it to make matters interesting should they get to spend any length of time at the crease.
Academy and Lansdowne should also have an interesting encounter at the Park Oval.
The form book would favour an Academy side which will be celebrating the inclusion of four of their side ? David Irvine, Jamie Perkins, Matt Young and Richard Lewis ? in the Wairarapa team to play Nelson next weekend, but that same Wairarapa team is coached and captained by Robin James, who will be the spearhead of the Lansdowne challenge tomorrow. If he gets going with bat and ball anything could happen.
