A knee injury, stemming from a mixed netball match, will keep Hayes sidelined until after the Christmas break in Ballarat Cricket Association club firsts.

The injury prevented Hayes from fully testing his game in the Victorian Country Cricket League under-21s – Hayes played in Central Highlands’ opening round but missed a second and final round clash against Western Waves last Sunday.

Hayes has made five starts with the bat for the Combine in the opening four rounds, including a season-best haul of 63 runs against Napoleons-Sebastopol and strong stands against Coronet City (40 runs) and Darley (44 runs).

Combine captain Bobby Hind said it was a tough blow for Hayes, who had made a really exciting start to the season.

“It is a shame but I think the main thing is that he’s not out for the year,” Hind said.

“Hopefully by the time he returns, we’ll be in a good position on the ladder – around the finals mark.”

Injury woes also affect rival East Ballarat for this clash. Hawks’ import Tanzeel Ali pulled a hamstring while playing in the BCA’s Twenty20 Cup last weekend and has been ruled out for at least this round.

The Hawks will regain Pete Colbourne, Ali’s teammate at Houghton Main in the South Yorkshire league. 

Colbourne, a key Hawks’ all-rounder arrive home this past fortnight and Hawks’ skipper Brad Whittaker said he had settled in well and quickly to training at Russell Square.

Ballarat-Redan and East Ballarat are locked in the firsts’ tight mid-ladder jostle.

East has Golden Point, an upper mid-range team, looming while the Combine will face North Ballarat leading into the break.

A narrow loss to Darley in a one-day match a fortnight ago has left the Combine determined to capitalise on their chances in their upcoming two day assignments.

Both are scheduled for the Combine’s home turf at City Oval. This round’s clash against East Ballarat will be the Combine’s first outing there this season and they want to ensure they make an impact.

“East’s always a pretty good opposition but we’re happy to be back at City Oval,” Hind said.

“We’ve got a really good run coming up at home and we hope to make this our fortress.

“...Hopefully we can hit some form, win these games going into Christmas and be right up with the top four because we don’t want to get caught and just drift in the middle of the ladder.”

LADDER: MOUNT CLEAR 18 premiership points, 1.6502 percentage; BROWN HILL 18, 1.4066; WENDOUREE 18, 1.3752; GOLDEN POINT 15, 1.4593; Napoleons-Sebastopol 15, 1.1831; East Ballarat 12, 1.0452; Ballarat-Redan 12, 1.0212; Darley 12, 0.9864; Coronet City 0, 0.4283; North Ballarat 0, 0.3331.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au