predictable results on the weekend.

In a coincidence in the draw, the top four teams were pitted against the bottom four and, apart from a slight scare for Harden at home, all four games saw

comfortable results.

Big O Blues, who fielded one of it’s weakest teams for the season, were still too good for Ex-Services Bushrangers at Clarke Oval, the Bushrangers collapsing to be all out for 78 when chasing a

gettable 107 for victory.

The Central Hotel Tigers were barely troubled in their 67-run victory over

Ex-Services Young Guns in a match that was transferred to the synthetic strip at Mitchell Park.

Batting first, the Tigers made 136 before rolling Young Guns for just 69.

In the closest match of the round, Harden took the final eight Wallendbeen wickets for just 17 runs to see the

villagers waste a promising start and be all out for 76, however the hosts survived some nervous moments before

passing the required total seven wickets down.

The final match also saw the game transferred from turf to synthetic, with Stockinbingal enjoying an unexpected home ground advantage against Big O Burglars and subsequently recording a 61-run victory in a match that was reduced to 30 overs per side.

The results highlight yet again the

difference between the top four and

bottom four sides, with the gap in the

ladder between Stock in fourth and Wallendbeen in fifth a widening 18 points.

Next week’s round of matches is the final one prior to the competition being split in two, after which the top four sides will continue their quest for the Merrin Cup and the bottom four turn their

attention to the Sparre Cup.

Detailed reports of the Big O Blues versus Bushrangers and Stock versus Young Guns matches can be found on page 15 of today’s edition.