Helensburgh are chasing the minor premiership, Balgownie are an outside chance of finishing top two and Wollongong face Keira to decide the wooden spoon in a cracking final round in Illawarra cricket.
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Just four points separate leaders Helensburgh from fourth-placed University, with only one final round match not having a bearing on top spot, top four or the spoon.
Helensburgh have been frontrunners all season but must beat in-form third-placed Balgownie at Helensburgh Oval to seal the minor premiership.
‘‘We’re treating it like a semi-final,’’ Burgh skipper Ben Marciante said.
‘‘We’ve trained really hard this week and as far as we’re concerned it’s like an extra semi.
‘‘Any of the top four teams can win the comp. I think Balgownie’s got the strongest batting so we have to bowl well and we’ve made fielding an emphasis at training this week.’’
A Helensburgh loss and Corrimal victory away to Northern Districts would give the Cougars top spot, while Helensburgh would finish second.
Bally have the best quotient of any side and would finish second with a win, plus Norths upsetting Corrimal.
University’s tense six run loss to Corrimal last Saturday left them to slip from second to equal third with Bally, but fourth on differential.
All clubs want a top two finish to earn insurance if rain is a factor in the semi-finals.
Corrimal spinner Xavier McDevitt has a mortgage on being the top bowler this season with 44 wickets at an average of 13.3 in 11 games.
Norths Jamal Banfield has 37 scalps from 11 games at an average of 13.1.
NSW Country allrounder Dale Scifleet leads the batting aggregate and averages, with 428 runs at an average of 47.5 in 11 games.
At the bottom of the table, Keira’s upset win over Dapto last Saturday means their home clash with Wollongong will settle the wooden spoon.
Both clubs have won only two games, with Keira routing Dapto for just 69 in a 36-run victory in round 12.
University’s late innings collapse proved costly against the Cougars but the Students remain a serious premiership threat and will want to bounce back at home to Dapto.
Finally, it’s the end of the season for Wests Illawarra and Port Kembla who meet at Figtree Oval.
Ladder: Helensburgh 76, Corrimal 75, Balgownie 69, University 69, Port Kembla 48, Dapto 43, Northern Districts 42, Wests Illawarra 31, Wollongong 25, Keira 22.
