Yarraville Club has early fireworks planned for Strathmore’s batsmen on day two of their Victorian Turf Cricket Association senior division battle at the Syd McGain Oval.
The Clubbers have no time to dawdle – their finals bid is on the line in the first session on Saturday.
The equation is simple: take six wickets for 29 runs or fewer or face elimination from the finals race.
“Realistically, if we don’t get the first two wickets within 15 runs, we’re looking down the barrel,” Clubbers top-order batsman Justin Baker said. “If we can get two new blokes in, they could be in a bit of trouble.”
The Clubbers find themselves in trouble after making just 132 in a drama-filled batting performance.
In the process, they had to reckon with their own poor shot selection, questionable decisions and a well-rehearsed Mores attack.
“Credit to Strathmore – they bowled really well, put it in good areas and got it to move in the air as well,” Baker said. “A couple of bad decisions went against us, but that’s cricket.”
The Clubbers had a great foundation to work from after openers Baker (18) and Andrew Cullen (24) moved the score to 51 for the first wicket.
But the removal of Baker had a domino effect. All bar one of the bottom nine batsmen perished for single figures with three ducks among them.
Adam Contessa showed his class in tough circumstances to provide 39 before going out leg before on a ball that his side claims snicked the bat.
“Once he got going, he played some shots that showed how good a cricketer he is,” Baker said. “He’s quality.”
Strathmore endured a rocky start to be 4-52 after two wickets to Contessa and Richard Sherlock. But a pair of Nicks – James (19) and Bergin (28) – thrived in the middle order to take the Mores to 4-102 at the close.
It’s a long shot for the Clubbers, but Baker is backing his bowlers.
“We spoke about it after the game, that if someone doesn’t have belief that we can win this, you might as well not bother turning up on Saturday,” he said.
“We were 4-90, so we’re pretty even in the runs total as we go, and if we get these two out, they’re in trouble. I’m backing our bowlers to get these guys.”
