Just how much will Greytown miss their gun all-rounder, Seth Rance, is the $64,000 question leading into their final match with Lansdowne in Wairarapa Cricket's Bidwill Cup competition at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton this weekend.
Rance was a dominant figure with bat and ball in the last meeting, won by Greytown on the first innings. However he is on duty with the Central Stags and will take no part in this fixture.
That the southerners are weakened by the absence of Rance goes without saying but, fortunately, their stocks have been boosted by the return, at least for the first day's play, of two players who have been performing well for Rathkeale College through most of this season, all-rounder Steve Coleman and medium pace bowler Brian James.
Coleman is similar to Rance in the potential to be a match winner in the batting and bowling departments but the two are very different in styles. Coleman's batting is more conservative than the all-action approach of Rance while, as bowlers, Rance likes to let rip with the new ball and Coleman is a spinner who relies heavily on guile for his wickets.
As a unit there is little doubt Greytown look stronger in batting than they do in bowling. Most of their squad are capable of making an impact with the willow with Paul Lyttle, Robbie Speers, Jake Ross, Tim Lucas and Gordon Reisima leading the way.
