Lakes Entrance Cricket Club will resume its 2025/26 Bairnsdale Cricket Association (BCA) campaign this Saturday with a vital one-day clash against ladder leaders Lindenow South Glenaladale at Lakeside Oval.
The match looms as a significant test for the Seagulls, who currently sit sixth on the ladder, with finals places still very much up for grabs. It will also be a rematch of last season’s one-day grand final, where Lakes Entrance ended a 20-year premiership drought by claiming silverware against the Bulls.
Last weekend’s limited round of fixtures had minimal impact on the finals race, with several contenders enjoying an extended Christmas break. Lindenow South Glenaladale (50 points) and Wy Yung (46) continued their strong seasons with wins and have opened a clear gap at the top of the table, shaping as leading premiership contenders.
St Mary’s Nagle’s victory over Paynesville dented the Gulls’ hopes, while Orbost (30 points) remains third on percentage ahead of Lucknow. West Bairnsdale (28) sits fifth, just two points clear of Lakes Entrance.
A win last weekend could have lifted the Seagulls into the top four, but they remain well placed to push for finals if they can produce consistent, season-defining performances in the remaining rounds.
Following Saturday’s clash, Lakes Entrance faces challenging two-day fixtures against St Mary’s Nagle (away), Paynesville (away) and Orbost (home). While the draw is demanding, opportunities exist to collect points against sides with comparable or struggling line-ups.
Weather may also play a role, with rain forecast later in the week and across the weekend.
The Bulls are a formidable opponent having suffered just two losses all season. However, Lakes Entrance will take confidence from being one of only two teams to defeat them this campaign, despite struggling to string together consecutive wins.
The Seagulls will again look for runs from their 2025 standouts Ryan Hooper, Ben John and Ollie Chaplin, while Liam Allen and skipper Jake Le Maitre will be hoping to deliver against the competition pace-setters.
They will face a stern challenge from a Bulls bowling attack led by Seth Smith and Mel Irish, well supported by Logan Dunkley, Scott Davidson, Nathan King, Jamie Donnelly and Sam Howden. With the bat, Lindenow South Glenaladale boasts a powerful line-up headed by Haydn Erfurth, with Luke Schumann, Davidson, Dunkley and Howden all capable of posting big scores, while co-captain Scott Dare is a consistent contributor.
Lakes Entrance’s bowling remains a strength, with Le Maitre, Noah Dodd, Kaleb Day and imports Scott Tite and Chaplin capable of dismantling opposition line-ups, although Tite will miss the match through suspension following an incident prior to the Christmas break.
