LAVERTON is facing a race against time on the second weekend of the Victorian Turf Cricket Association north A1 grand final after lagging behind East Keilor at the conclusion of day two at Crofts Reserve on Sunday.
The Magpies went into the game red-hot favourites after dominating all summer, but the premiership decider has been anything but a walk in the park.
Magpies captain Jimmy Baker said that trailing on first innings was not the ideal way to start but ruled out hitting the panic button.
“There’s still 160 overs to be played,” he said. “The game can go either way.”
The Magpies erred in their assessment of the deck at Blackshaws Road, electing to bat in the belief it would dry up late on Saturday.
“It was one of those tosses where you were always going to bat,” Baker said.
“It’s always good to try to get runs on the board. But it was harder to bat on than we thought it would be.
“A slow track, we didn’t think
it would play like that all day.”
The Magpies made a slow 147 in 92 overs.
Five of their top six batsmen got starts without going on with the job.
Charlie Swallow and Danny Mason led the way with 26 apiece and Mark Logan (18), Baker (17) and Corey Piercy (16) made valuable runs.
East Keilor took a stranglehold on proceeding with the bat, marching confidently to 2-104.
The Magpies were in a state of disarray until the last session of day two when they fought back with 5-60.
“Everyone was upbeat after that period,” Baker said.
“The mood is very good because we’re not out of the game, but we’re going to have to play at our best to swing it back our way.”
The first hour on Saturday will be pivotal in this contest.
Easts’ lead is just 17 with three wickets in hand and the Magpies will be eager to stem the bleeding.
“The first hour is going to be a turning point,” Baker said.
