Murray's Preview on One Blue North.
Round Five
December 2, 2005
This Saturday's fixtures brings us good and bad. Three of the games to be very
even the other two are "no brainers".
THE GAME OF THE DAY:
Bassendean vs Bedford
These two sides are very much in contention for promotion and the winner of
this game will have a big bearing on where they finish at the end of 18 rounds.
Bassendean are a very solid outfit being well led by Tom Norac, John Lynch,
Kevin Beaglehole and former Bayswater champion Gordon Grey. They are well served
across the rinks with a number of highly experienced players who know how to
play when the crunch is on.
Dave Crook (pictured) great start as a new skipper for Bedford Bulls
Their opponents are equally well served by the
evenness of their team and experience. Once again the key indicator to Bedford's
fortune may lay with the erratic rink of Cliff Graybrook (brilliant one week-horrible
the next).
I have punted successfully on Cliff before but in this match at Bassendean
I am "jumping off" and selecting Bassendean 6-2.
Morrison Park vs Doubleview
Morrison Park have up until last week been relying on the dangerous practice
of just two rinks (Steve Wattleworth and Macco Nattalotto) winning aggregates
for them. Well last week they went one better and relied solely on Nattalotto
to set up the 5-3 victory against Bedford.
Steve Wattleworth (pictured) Doing a great job as skipper for Morrison Park
MP will not be able to afford that
against Doubleview. Morrison Park's form over the past two weeks has not been
that good, losing to Sportsmen's the week before. I think with Eddie Johnson,
John Nicholls and Kevin Stevens in particular skippering well that Doubleview
will win away. 6-2
Kevin Stevens (pictured) Very experienced player enjoying
the skippers role
Osborne Park vs Sorrento
This will be another good test for Sorrento. Osborne Park have a very strong
list and at home are going to be very difficult to beat. Billy Boyd is now
standing at the pointy end after many years of "propping up" skippers
in First Division Red. I wish him every success (just not on Saturday). Sorrento
in an upset 6-2
Dalkeith vs Nollamara
In over twenty years of playing in first division at all levels I cannot recall
a team getting off to a worse start than Nollamara. Without a point after four
games they must surely be thinking (if they have not done so already) of completely
re-organising their rinks. Dalkeith 7-1
Cambridge vs Sportsmen's
Cambridge will prove too consistent at home on the carpet. 7-1
Tim Murray
