Last season it lost five of its first six games but staged a memorable late season revival to claim its first flag in the competition after 10 years of trying since the demise of the former Kyabram District Cricket Association at the end of the 2011-12 season.
Kyabram currently sits in second place on the ladder on the same premiership points as competition leader Central Park St Brendans, which has a slight percentage advantage.
In the three two-day games before the finals, Kyabram meets two prospective finalists: Numurkah starting this Saturday and Central Park St Brendans in the final home-and-away round.
It receives no points for the bye in the one-day format after the Numurkah clash but then fronts up to Old Students before the showdown against Central Park St Brendans in the final home-and-away round.
If its drops games to Numurkah and CPSBs it is by no means certain to play finals again, although co-coach Jackson McLay believes the team could still play finals even if it wins one of its three two-day games.
Kyabram’s batting line-up has looked more solid this season, with the promotion of experienced ex-skipper Alec Young to first drop helping to stabilise the upper order where Billy McLay and Paul Parsons are capable openers and the Mueller boys, Cade and Kyle, and Ethan Hart add more grunt to its early run-making potential.
Kyle Mueller has amassed 600 runs at an average of 120 up to now but misses the first day of the Numurkah game because of duties with the Victorian Country representative side at the National Country Championships in South Australia’s Barossa Valley.
One of Kyabram’s English imports, Shaf Maroofkhel, is also returning home next week due to a personal issue and is expected to make his final appearance with the club on the first day of the Numurkah game.
According to Kyabram skipper Kyle Mueller, Shaf’s departure will create a large gap in Kyabram’s attack if a suitable replacement can’t be found.
So there will be more pressure on Kyabram’s upper order to fire against Numurkah for Kyabram to be a winning chance and remain in the thick of the fight to play finals.
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