ARMIDALE City need an outright win if they are ease past Hillgrove Colts into second spot on the Armidale first grade table when the final round is concluded tomorrow.
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City are equal second with Hillgrove on points (33 apiece) but trail on nett run rate.
Second and third play next week’s final with the victor matching up against minor premier East in the grand final.
If the final is washed out, the team that finished second on the table progresses to the grand final.
“We need an outright,” City skipper Steve Butler said.
Either that or bat on “get 400” and try to lift their nett run rate that way but the outright appears the best idea although City needs to win first innings points first against an Ex-Services side that was dismissed for 126.
City resumes at 2-38.
“We faced 15 overs,” Butler said of Saturday’s reply.
“But Hugh (Reckord) and I are both out,” he said of tomorrow’s return to the crease.
It makes for a big day at the sportsground for City which is likely to chase quick runs searching for a 30 or 40-run lead maybe and then looking to grab 10 more wickets.
It seems the best option for City, Butler said.
“We do have the attack too,” he said of in-form pacemen Karl Triebe, Adam Sweeney, Andrew Skinner and Matt Morrow.
At Lambert Park, minor premiers Easts resume at 9-106 after dismissing Hillgrove for 146.
Easts skipper Sam Uphill was disappointed his side threw away a good bowling effort to knock over Hillgrove for 146.
“Lochie Elks did bowl pretty quick and bowled in good channels,” Uphill said of his opposing paceman.
“He built all the pressure and Max Laurie got the reward at the other end. You bowl in partnerships.
Uphill was disappointed with his own batting too.
“Justin Hickey and I had done all the hard work to get through but then threw it away,” he said.
He’s hoping the final two batsmen (Justin Hickey and Tyson Burey) can produce a heroic last wicket partnership.
Hillgrove skipper Brad King wants to finish them off quickly
“It could be an interesting game,” he said.
“There’s still a lot of cricket left in this – 80 overs.
“We’ll try to get that last wicket early and maybe go after a good win. Maybe make it into a bit of a one dayer.”
Like Butler, he has to concentrate on what is facing his side immediately – that’s taking a wicket first and foremost while City has to make another 79 runs.
