HILLGROVE Colts will need to bounce back from a humbling loss to Easts in the Armidale One Day Final lest they fall prey to an improving Ex-Services in their first grade clash at NEM Armidale Sportsground this Saturday.
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Easts made 7-173 in the Australia Day One-Day Final at NEM Armidale Sportsground and then routed Hillgrove for 119.
It was a poor effort, Hillgrove skipper Brad King said, especially the batting.
He topscored with 39 on a track he thought was benign.
“We can’t bat like that again otherwise Ex-Servies will belt us,” King said.
“They are a dangerous side.
“Cody Graham is batting well and he can score quickly.”
Hillgrove lead the first grade premiership race while Ex-Servies are in a battle with Armidale City for the third final spot behind Easts.
City and Easts match up at Lambert where City are coming off a last-round win against Hillgrove as well in what is now a one-day game following last Saturday’s wash-out of all Armidale matches.
City will find a buoyant Easts side confident after the One Day Final win.
East skipper Sam Uphill had been looking forward to returning to the two-day match format and is hoping his side can keep its winning run going from the One-Day Final win.
“It would be good to go back to back (with the One-Day Final and premiership),” Uphill said.“It’s been a long time since we’ve done that.”
East have a number of players in form, but none better than Todd Francis who made 32 and then took 3-35 in the One-Day Final.
Josh Taylor also starred with 57 in a top order where Aaron Whackett (21) and Will Frost (23) also looked good.
Tyson Burey’s opening spell was also a highlight, taking 3-23 from eight.