NORTH BALLARAT v GOLDEN POINT
Two-day match at Wendouree West
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Last time they met: North Ballarat 95 (S Wright 39, D White 4-10, A Warrick 4-21) lost to Golden Point 141 (D Hiscock 35, S Jayantha 27, M Cations 3-31, B Peverill 2-15, J Crosbie 2-24, L Lorenzen 2-25) round nine last season.
GOLDEN Point captain Josh White hasn’t reported too many comings and goings during a relatively quiet off-season for the club.
White said the senior side had not lost any players from the one that topped the ladder during the home and away rounds last campaign, with Sri Lankan import Saman Jayantha expected to return for round two or three.
Bowler Peter Appleton is another missing for the round one fixture.
The Roosters, meanwhile, are looking to improve on a season that collected the wooden spoon in 2014-15.
North won just the one game in a horror campaign that included two defeats at the hands of Golden Point.
PREDICTION: Pointies.
WENDOUREE v CORONET CITY
Two-day match at Wendouree 2
Last time they met: Wendouree 5-245 (H Pyke 111 not out, G Bell 41, C Roscholler 37) d Coronet City 67 (T LeLievre 4-19, S Peeters 2-7, A Prendergast 2-14) round nine last season
WENDOUREE
The Red Caps will field a severly depleted line-up in the opening round of the 2015-16 season.
Skipper Cole Roscholler has told The Courier he will miss until Christmas following wrist surgery, while bowler Sam Peeters is unlikely to play firsts until the new year with a knee issue.
Gun bat/wicket-keeper Heath Pyke is sidelined for the round one clash with a hamstring injury, while Roscholler said all-rounder Grant Bell is also out for the early rounds.
Boom recruit Tristan Dixon has been named in his comeback from a knee reconstruction.
CORONET CITY
The Coronet boys are planning without veteran Brendan Burns for the new campaign.
Captain Nathan Clarke said Burns has not committed to the 2015-16 season, but hoped recruits Luke Muscat (Northcote) and Zac Chisholm (Navarre) could measure up to firsts cricket this summer.
Missing for round one against the Red Caps will be the likes of all-rounder Dale Jeffrey (unavailable), bowler Simon Hucker (unavailable) and wicket-keeper Adrian Madden, who is struggling with a knee injury.
PREDICTION: Wendouree
BROWN HILL v DARLEY
Two-day match at Brown Hill
Last time they met: Brown Hill 7-295dec (S Harwood 134, T Knowles 47, A Code 26, R Ali 3-72, M Cape 2-44) d Darley 65 (M McMahon 4-12, S Harwood 4-16) and 135 (J Wilkie 57, O Smith 30, S Harwood 4-36, M McMahon 3-27, D Ferris 2-58) round 12 last season
BROWN HILL
A new-look Bulls bowling attack will be without Matt McMahon this weekend, while Shane Harwood is not expected to be used unless required.
Captain Ryan Knowles said Tom Bourke-Finn and Kyle Hayes are likely to take the new ball against the Lions and expected young all-rounder Fraser Hunt to make his debut in the A-grade side this weekend.
DARLEY
The Lions are under the care of new signing and captain Heath Pritchard for the first time this Saturday against the reigning premiers.
Pritchard, an all-rounder, is one of the big inclusions for the club this season, with the playing list bolstered by the addition of English recruits Harry Killoran and Rick Moore. Killoran, an 18-year-old right-hand batsman and off-spin bowler, will play in round one, with Moore set to arrive in Australia next week.
PREDICTION: Brown Hill
NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL v BALLARAT-REDAN
Two-day match at Napoleons
Last time they met: Ballarat-Redan 140 (A Taylor 38, B Jones 31 not out, S Allan 29, L Rigby 4-17, L Young 2-15, L Corden 2-33) lost to Napoleons-Sebastopol 4-144 (L Rigby 49 not out, L Corden 42 not out) round nine last season
NAPOLEONS-SEBASTOPOL
Reigning EJ Cleary Medal winner Liam Rigby is set to miss the first half of the season while travelling overseas.
The Naps-Sebas all-rounder has been playing cricket in Europe and isn't set to return until around Christmas.
He is a notable absentee for round one, alongside batsmen Tyler Dittloff and the returning Ben Trew.
All-rounder Simon Ringin is back for a full season after playing just one game last campaign.
BALLARAT-REDAN
The Combine are set to welcome a couple of additions to the senior side this weekend.
Captain-coach Bobby Hind is excited by the return of tall quick Toby Hutt to the club and the signing of all-rounder Michael Snaith, from Ballan. Both have been named to play against Naps-Sebas.
Hind said he believed the side was stronger than the one that finished seventh last season.
PREDICTION: Naps-Sebas
MT CLEAR v EAST BALLARAT
Two-day match at Mt Clear 2
Last time they met: East Ballarat 139 (J Barnett 30, M Goonan 5-32, J Tong 2-24) lost to Mt Clear 3-140 (S Coffey 58, L Sandwith 30, C Carter 2-37) round four last season
MT CLEAR
The Mounties begin redemption this Saturday after a wasted 2014-15 season.
The club was well fancied to win back-to-back premierships, but failed to make the finals in a shock end to the year.
Recruit Hayden Cartledge is among those unavailable for round one, while young former Derrinallum leg-spinner Tom Millard looms as a firsts player this season, but has been named in the seconds for round one.
EAST BALLARAT
A few new faces are set to step out for the Hawks, which are looking to improve from a sixth placing to last season.
Englishman Adam Ranson is set to debut for the club on Saturday, while former skipper Simon Irving and batting recruit Charles Murrie are named to take on the Mounties.
Irving has returned to the club after a few seasons away and is a major inclusion to a team that has said goodbye to English import Tanzeel Ali and all-rounder Jon Barnett, who has moved interstate.
PREDICTION: Mt Clear