Wagga City can force itself into the one-day final if results fall its way on Saturday.
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The Cats are currently fourth but can jump up to second, and secure a place in February’s final this weekend during the last round of one-dayers.
First they need to defeat third-placed Kooringal Colts at McPherson Oval.
The Cats also need undefeated ladder leaders Lake Albert to win the top-of-the-table clash with South Wagga at Robertson Oval.
Both the Cats and the Colts are four points behind South Wagga, but Wagga City’s quotient could give them the edge.
They have a quotient of 1.59, slightly behind South Wagga’s 1.62, but significantly ahead of the 0.83 of the Colts.
However, Cats captain Warren Clunes isn’t looking too far ahead.
“We aren’t really thinking about the final, but if it comes it comes,” Clunes said.
“You always want to win flags but we had a pretty disappointing start to the year and we will worry about getting the win on the board first.”
Wagga City’s chances haven’t been helped with a number of its younger brigade unavailable due to junior representative cricket.
Harry Rosengren, Max Harper, Nick Cawley and Ritchie Turner have all come out of the team.
In their place comes Cane Graetz, Chris Butt, Jacob Craig and Jay Butler.
Kooringal Colts have also had to make a couple of changes to its line-up after a narrow loss to Lake Albert last week.
Sam Whitfield returns to the team while Will Morley and Jeremy Bunn are out but they are yet to lock in a replacement wicketkeeper.
With plenty of the line for both clubs, Colts captain-coach David Bolton is expecting a tough test.
Lake Albert got home with two wickets and two balls to spare last week and Bolton is looking for a better performance with the bat.
“We got off to another good start but lost our way a bit in the middle overs again,” Bolton said.
“That was two weeks in a row that we haven’t batted out our 40 overs so that is the goal this week.
“Hopefully we can get off to another good start, consolidate through the middle and have wickets in hand for the last five or 10 overs so we can push a bit bigger score.
“We bowled and fielded really well but had no margin for error.”
