Wodonga’s Jack Craig has a recent mark of North Albury Greg ‘Jack’ Daniel in his sights.

Craig has now hit four straight half-centuries.

He started with 73 not against Belvoir, struck 79 in the win over Albury, belted an unbeaten 67 against North and followed it with 94 against St Patrick’s.

In that run, he’s clocked up 313 runs at 156.5.

Daniel hit five consecutive half-centuries to start the 2012-13 season. 

HELP NEEDED

If Belvoir is to bounce back after missing finals last season - which was one of the stories of the association after a maiden premiership and preliminary final in the two previous years – then it needs to find more run-scorers.

Drew Cameron compiled 80 and David Farrell 45 in the team’s total of 7-187 against Lavington.

The next highest was Will McCarty’s 11 at number seven.

Cameron sits 12^th in the association with 184 runs at 61.33, while Farrell is just inside the top 20 with 154.

FIRST HALF-CENTURY

Belvoir would have loved a middle order batsman like Lavington’s Matt Heagney, who struck has maiden provincial 50.

Heagney came to the crease after the visitors had lost 3-0 to be 3-83, but the baby-faced batsman produced an unbeaten 52, including nine boundaries and a six.

“They tried to bowl a bit shorter to him as well and he’s quite good on the short ball,” team-mate David Tassell said.

“He steadied the ship and ended up out-scoring Nathan Brown (47no), that’s a pretty good effort.”

SO CLOSE

Brown joined a unique group of batsmen when he fell for 99 on the weekend.

In fact, three players in three competitions posted the same score.

Albury’s Aaron Gillespie was run out as a non-striker against East Albury, while Cam Sawyer was stranded on 99 not out in Lavington’s second grade win over the Eagles.

Brown had no idea he was one short of the ton, but Gillespie and batting partner Alex Popko were totally aware as the latter tried desperately to get his Irish team-mate back on strike.

ULTIMATE TEST

Albury has now racked up its second successive win after losing the first five.

And the return of former representative opener Popko adds another aggressive element to the team.

With Gillespie at number three, Kade Brown and Popko in the middle order, followed by hard-hitting coach Luke Styles, it’s a lineup which could destroy an attack.

But the rejuvenated outfit faces the litmus test at home against premiers Lavington on Saturday.

Styles will miss the next two games as he’s overseas.

COBY’S CLASS

The other club which has resurrected its season owes much to one of the association’s youngest first graders.

Coby Fitzsimmons has played a leading role in New City’s three consecutive wins after it lost the opening four games.

The Phoenix was teetering at 7-87 against Wodonga Raiders when the 15-year-old (37 not out) and Dan Baker (31) combined in a 44-run stand.

“Coby’s been fantastic, he just keeps improving, his innings was probably the difference in the end,” captain Sam Grant said.