WITH just five games remaining before the Peel Cricket Association finals, three sides remain in the hunt for top position.
Shaolwater Bay is on top but is in a three-way tussle with South Mandurah and Halls Head for first with the sides all playing each other in the final rounds.
Pinjarra and Singleton Irwinians are fighting for the fourth and final spot with the lower sides only extremely slim mathematical possibilities.
The Mandurah Mail took a look at the teams still in the race for finals.
1st: Shoalwater Bay
Last four games: WWWW
Run home: Singleton Irwinians, South Mandurah, Baldivis, Hillman, Halls Head.
After wining against Waroona in round one due to a forfeit, Shoalwater Bay kicked into gear in round two with a 69-run win over Pinjarra.
The side did not lose a game until round six against South Mandurah however that started a run of three losses with the side losing to Baldivis and Hillman.
Shoalwater Bay’s recent form has been strong with scores of 194, 204 and 209 in the last three weeks.
Before that they were averaging just 135 with the bat excluding the games that were affected by rain.
Shoalwater’s strength is restricting the opposition with the lowest runs scored against them with the opponent posting more than 130 just four times.
Grant Coles leads an even field of bowlers for Shoalwater with 15 wickets at 2.69 runs an over.
Another six bowlers have collected 10 or more wickets.
2nd: South Mandurah
Last four games: LLWW
Run home: Baldivis, Shoalwater Bay, Halls Head, Waroona, Pinjarra.
South Mandurah is one of the highest averaging teams in the competition with 167 runs per game.
The average would rise to 180.27 if you exclude their lowest score of 32 against Warnbro in round 10.
The side started the season strongly losing just one of their first nine before a two-game slump which saw them lose to Warnbro and Mandurah.
The side bounced back in their last two games with scores over 200 including a competition-high 299.
One of the reasons for the team from Falcon’s ladder position is the form of Brad and Michael Holmes, the competition’s leading run scorers.
Brad has also taken 19 wickets though it is Phil Wirth who leads the way with 20 for South Mandurah.
3rd: Halls Head
Last four games: WWLW
Run home: Mandurah, Singleton Irwinians, South Mandurah, Baldivis, Shoalwater Bay.
Halls Head is still a genuine chance of stealing top place with games against South Mandurah and Shoalwater Bay to come.
Halls Head were soundly beaten by South Mandurah in their one and only game and have not played Shoalwater Bay with their encounter washed out.
Other than South Mandurah the side’s only other loses came against Pinjarra who have proved to be a bogey team for Halls Head.
However the side has been consistent throughout the season and are the second highest scoring team in the competition having scored over 200 on five occasions, more than any other team.
Andrew Tatterson is the sides most important player, leading the batting attack with the fourth for most runs scored in the competition with an average of 37.
Tatterson is also the team’s second highest wicket taker with 15, two behind Cameron Lucas who leads the way.
Jake O’Bryne and Ryan Burns have also scored over 250 runs for the season while Josh Peterson is averaging 34.75 from his five games.
4th: Pinjarra
Last four games: WLWL
Run home: Hillman, Warnbro, Mandurah, Singleton Irwinians, South Mandurah.
It looks unlikely that Pinjarra will climb higher than fourth so their focus turns to winning more games than Singleton Irwinians who sits level on wins in fifth.
Against the sides above them Pinjarra have split the points though face only one team above them in the final five rounds.
It wouldn’t be unlikely that Pinjarra will sit two games ahead of Singleton Irwinians with two games remaining but still their finals spot will not be assured.
They play Singleton Irwinians in round 17 followed by South Mandurah in the final round.
The last time they played Singleton Irwinians it resulted in a draw with both sides dismissed for 135.
Their last game against South Mandurah was washed out.
Win one of the final two and they will play finals, lose both and it could come down to points.
If they were to make the finals Pinjarra will hope to play Halls Head who they have defeated on two occasions, they were bowled out cheaply on both occasions for 115 and 128 against Shoalwater Bay.
Pinjarra has the leading wicket taker in Joseph Slade (26 wickets) and the sixth highest run scorer, Jamie Lee with 328 runs at an average of 32.8.
5th: Singleton Irwinians
Last four games: LWLW
Run home: Shoalwater Bay, Halls Head, Waroona, Pinjarra, Warnbro.
In their first year as a combined side, Singleton Irwinians started the season with three consecutive wins, including a win against South Mandurah, but have only been able to win three since.
Their form has improved in the last three weeks with two wins and a loss.
The loss came against South Mandurah by four runs after Singleton Irwinians posted their second highest score of the season, 200.
Singelton Irwinians have two bowlers inside the top five highest wicket-takers with Andrew Peckover and Daniel Jones taking 20 wickets each.
With the bat Bryce Evans leads the way with 391 runs, the third highest in the competition, at an average of 35.55.
Singleton Irwinians is somewhat light on with other batting options with Jones the next best with 227 runs for the season, the next best is Ian Jack with 189.
Singleton Irwinians’ finals chances are in their own hands.
They should defeat Waroona and Warnbro and in a best-case scenario pinch a win against Shoalwater Bay or Halls Head however that would still leave them having to defeat Pinjarra.
Whatever the outcome, it will be an interesting final five games.
6th: Warnbro Swans
Last four games: WLLL
Run home: Waroona, Pinjarra, Hillman, Mandurah, Singleton Irwinians.
7th: White Knights Baldivis
Last four games: LWLL
Run home: South Mandurah, Hillman, Shoalwater Bay, Halls Head, Waroona.
8th: Mandurah
Last four games: WWWL
Run home: Halls Head, Waroona, Pinjarra, Warnbro, Hillman.
9th: Waroona
Last four games: LLLW
Run home: Warnbro, Mandurah, Singleton Irwinians, South Mandurah, Baldivis.
10th: Hillman
Last four games: LLWL
Run home: Pinjarra, Baldivis, Warnbro, Shoalwater Bay, Mandurah.
