CRICKET: 10 FEBRUARY 2019

And then there were four ...

Last season’s Grand Finalists, Country and Cudal, emerged from yesterday’s round of the Oilsplus Molong Cricket Competition with reasonably comfortable wins, beating respectively Bowlers and Magpies.

With two home-and-away rounds to play, the points table reads: Country 75, Cudal 55, Millthorpe 46, Bowlers 46, Magpies 38.

Next Saturday’s penultimate round consists of: Magpies v Bowlers (Molong Rec) and Cudal v Millthorpe (Cudal). Country have the bye.

There are four possible outcomes, and resultant points tables:

Scenario 1: Magpies d Bowlers, and Cudal d Millthorpe — Country 75, Cudal 62. Bowlers 49, Millthorpe 49, Magpies 45.

Scenario 2: Magpies d Bowlers, and Millthorpe d Cudal — Country 75, Cudal 58, Millthorpe 53, Bowlers 49. Magpies 45.

Scenario 3: Bowlers d Magpies, and Cudal d Millthorpe — Country 75, Cudal 62, Bowlers 53, Millthorpe 49, Magpies 41.

Scenario 4: Bowlers d Magpies, and Millthorpe d Cudal — Country 75, Cudal 58, Millthorpe 53, Bowlers 49, Magpies 41.

Four things emerge:

Country are undisputed Minor Premiers.

Cudal have done enough to finish in the three-team final series.

Magpies seem out of the race.

Much will depend on a final round clash between Millthorpe and Bowlers at Millthorpe.