POWERHOUSE Mt Clear has stamped its status as clear flag favourite but how do its rivals measure up in Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts?
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The Courier breaks down the season so far and key playmakers in this mid-season report while our cricketers enjoy the festive break.
BALLARAT-REDAN
PROGRESS: ninth. Two first innings wins and three first innings losses* (ladder results incomplete)
This is a development season for Ballarat-Redan, which lost a core of experience leading into this season. The Combine has shown promise with wins against Darley and North Ballarat. Pushed Wendouree to tea on day two last round before a late and quick batting collapse.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Chris Egan has captured 13 wickets from six club firsts matches. Notably, he nabbed eight scalps from his past two outings against Mt Clear and Wendouree.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Anthony Taylor 25.17
Allister Edmends 151 runs
BALL
Nathan Patrikeos 17.53
Nathan Patrikeos 15 wickets
COMING UP
v North Ballarat
v Mt Clear
v Wendouree
v East Ballarat
v Coronet City
v Golden Point
BROWN HILL
PROGRESS: second. One outright win, two on first innings and two first innings losses
Everyone knows about the Bulls' much-feared bowling attack, headlined by former Australian fast bowler Shane Harwood and fellow lethal quick Matt McMahon with a string of other dangerous wicket-takers. But the Bulls have proven a little fallible - they quickly came undone against East Ballarat leading into Christmas while the Red Caps were the first to prove they were beatable.
PLAYER TO WATCH: To be wary of returned Bull Shane Harwood goes without saying but young gun Jack James will be one to watch if he can return to his early form, when he came close to a ton twice.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Jack James 38.83
Jack James 233 runs
BALL
Shane Harwood 4.5
Shane Harwood 22 wickets
COMING UP
v Wendouree
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v East Ballarat
v Mt Clear
v North Ballarat
v Coronet City
CORONET CITY
PROGRESS: 10th. Four first innings losses and two lost on second innings
This season has been tough for Coronet City with clashes against reigning premier Wendouree, powerhouse Mt Clear and those clawing up like North Ballarat and East Ballarat. City faces the Mounties again first up to restart the season and there looks to be little reprieve ahead.
PLAYER TO WATCH: The stats say it all - Brendan Burns has been the City linchpin for a long time now and has been in strong form this summer. He is yet to face Mt Clear in the firsts though.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Brendan Burns 32.43
Brendan Burns 227 runs
BALL
Brendan Burns 31.89
Brendan Burns 9 wickets
COMING UP
v Mt Clear
v East Ballarat
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v Golden Point
v Ballarat-Redan
v Brown Hill
DARLEY
PROGRESS: eighth. Two first innings wins and four first innings losses
This has been a frustrating season for the Lions, who have lost three of four outings on their fortress Darley Park. The Lions nabbed a win against Golden Point going into Christmas but it will be tough for them to dig in and catch competition leaders from here.
PLAYER TO WATCH: When captain Matt Cape is firing, Darley is causing trouble. Cape needs all his team to step up more consistently.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Matt Cape 57.20
Matt Cape 286 runs
BALL
Clint Salisbury 10.6
Brad Barnes 8 wickets
COMING UP
v East Ballarat
v Wendouree
v Golden Point
v North Ballarat
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v East Ballarat
EAST BALLARAT
PROGRESS: third. One outright win, two first innings wins and three first innings losses
An outright upset against Brown Hill definitely strengthened the Hawks' campaign, lifting them into the four by Christmas. They have chances to really consolidate their footing and a rematch against the Bulls - next a one-day fixture - will really test them out.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Seasoned performer Carl Haseloff has chalked up four half-centuries from seven innings with the bat. Haseloff really sets the tone for his teammates, including tight situations like anchoring the Hawks' reply late in the day last round after Brown Hill's batting collapse.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Nicholas Waldie 67
Carl Haseloff 276 runs
BALL
Josh Brown 14.68
Josh Brown 19 wickets
COMING UP
v Darley
v Coronet City
v Brown Hill
v Ballarat-Redan
v Wendouree
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
GOLDEN POINT
PROGRESS: seventh. Two first innings wins, one draw and three first innings losses.
Claimed a first-up win against reigning premier Wendouree but has struggled to find serious momentum since. The Pointies entered the break on two losses and a wash-out and really need to make an impact in one-dayers to stay in touch with a tight competition. Point must improve with the bat.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Dan White has been reasonably sharp with the ball this summer with 16 wickets and a bowling average of 16.3. White has also offered a couple of handy scores through the middle order. He's starting to step up and help set the tone.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Josh White 40.5
Dwayne Hiscock 173
BALL
Dan White 16.27
Dan White 15 wickets
COMING UP
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v North Ballarat
v Darley
v Coronet City
v Mt Clear
v Ballarat-Redan
MT CLEAR
PROGRESS: first. Six first innings wins.
Absolutely formidable. It is tough to tell yet who could stop Mt Clear because there is so much depth in the Mounties' batting and bowling.
They're undefeated - though without an outright win yet - and the Mounties are seemingly cruising.
PLAYER TO WATCH: In a whole stable of headline acts, our pick is 2002/03 EJ Cleary medallist Dan Hopkinson who, more than 10 years later, is proving a merciless and dangerous all-round threat.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Hayden Cartledge 50.75
Nathan Yates 216 runs
BALL
Daniel Hopkinson 6.38
Daniel Hopkinson 16 wickets
COMING UP
v Coronet City
v Ballarat-Redan
v North Ballarat
v Brown Hill
v Golden Point
v Darley
NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL
PROGRESS: fourth. One outright win, one first innings win, two draws, one first innings loss and one loss on second innings.
Mixed results, including two wash-outs, have actually kept Napoleons-Sebastopol in touch with competition leaders. Naps-Sebas went from being completely demolished twice by Brown Hill one round to trouncing Coronet City for an outright the next.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Returned EJ Cleary medallist Carman Mapatuna has been a massive inclusion for a team that went through a turnover in experience. The acting skipper has also proven one of the most consistent with bat and ball in two-day and Twenty20 formats.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Luke Corden 35.75
Ben Trew 160 runs
BALL
Simon Ringin 7.86
Luke Corden 9 wickets
Carman Mapatuna 9 wickets
Justin Ringin 9 wickets
COMING UP
v Golden Point
v Brown Hill
v Coronet City
v Wendouree
v Darley
v East Ballarat
NORTH BALLARAT
PROGRESS: fifth. Three first innings wins, one draw and two first innings losses
This Roosters' team has shown lots of potential this season. Their two losses have been to Mt Clear and a shock upset from Ballarat-Redan, one they will have a chance to rectify in a one-dayer first up in January. Plenty to prove and definitely a chance to break into finals.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Experienced players Scott Wright, Matt Cations, Jason Crosbie and captain Bobby Hind have led the charge this season but there is plenty of exciting youngsters in the mix. Rising star Ash McCafferty proven a consistent wicket-taker and offered a couple of handy bolstering efforts late in the order too.
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Scott Wright 74.5
Bobby Hind 249
BALL
Ash McCafferty 15.83
Jason Crosbie 14 wickets
COMING UP
v Ballarat-Redan
v Golden Point
v Mt Clear
v Darley
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v Wendouree
WENDOUREE
PROGRESS: sixth. Three first innings wins and two first innings losses* (ladder results incomplete)
Reigning premier Wendouree is vying for a sixth-straight BCA club firsts title. Each year the Red Caps have restructured about a core line-up and discover exciting, young talent and this season, so far, has been no exception. Expect the Red Caps to finish strong - they always do.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Batsmen would have to fear Red Caps' quick Eamon Johnson. The experienced bowler was in stellar form before Christmas, capturing a combined 18 wickets from his past three outings (over four innings).
LEADING PERFORMERS
BAT
Cole Roscholler 59.17
Cole Roscholler 355
BALL
Eamon Johnson 10.81
Eamon Johnson 27 wickets
COMING UP
v Brown Hill
v Darley
v Ballarat-Redan
v Napoleons-Sebastopol
v East Ballarat
v North Ballarat