WILL Lightning strike? Will the Bulls make a charge? Will the Saints march in?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Friday night's Royal Hotel Cup match between the Lithgow Lightning and Centennials Bulls at Wade Park will determine the one remaining spot in this season's semi-finals of the Twenty20 competition.
The undefeated CYMS outfit, Orange City and Cavaliers have already locked in a semi-final appearance while St Pat's Old Boys sit in fourth.
If Lightning wins on Friday it will jump from sixth into fourth, while the Bulls have a chance to advance as well - albeit it much more slender.
In order to make their third consecutive Royal Hotel Cup semi-final, the Bulls not only need to win, but do so in a dominant fashion. Victory would move them onto equal competition points with the Saints, but their Bathurst rival currently has superior nett run rate at +0.334 compared to -1.217
Much will hinge on whether or not the Bulls are able to dismiss Lithgow's opener Ben Sheehan and Jon Cronin cheaply.
The duo have already shown how damaging they can be if they spend quality time at the crease. Sheehan, who boasts a strike rate of 153.8 this season, blasted 102 off 61 when his side went down to Orange City, while Cronin belted 69 off 50 against Kinross to help open their campaign with a win.
Bulls have their weapons as well - Blake Aubin and Tyler Horton both have strike rates in excess of 120, while Horton has also been economical when thrown the ball.