Grand United has given itself a chance against ladder leaders Williamstown Imperials in the Victorian Turf Cricket Association Steve McNamara Shield.
With six teams still in the finals mix, including the Gorillas, the final two matches are important in the context of the season.
They don’t get much bigger for the Gorillas this week they face run away ladder leaders Williamstown Imperials
Gorillas’ coach Andrew Warrick said they had given themselves a chance against the Imperials.
“It is a really big game,” he said. “We are playing against top of the ladder and we’re still in the game.
“We have to get through next week as well and see what happens.”
The Gorillas were bowled out for 195 in the 67th over after deciding to bat.
Warrick said they would have taken that considering the position the side was in earlier in the day.
“It’s not too bad when you look that we were 9-120 odd,” he said.
“To get 190, that is a competitive total and to get a couple of wickets late in the day that helps with things.
“Our chances would have been knocked over if we made 120-130.
“It’s a tricky total, you never know.”
Kyle Welsh top scored with 75, while Basim Khan (34 not out) and Milorad Konjević (24) helped push the run total up at the end of the innings.
The Imperials will resume at 2-35.
As the highest scoring team in the competition, Warrick knows those wickets are crucial.
“They have three or four high scoring players that have done a fair bit of scoring,” he said.
“We need to get them early to put the pressure on them and you never know.”
Warrick said the season hadn’t played out the way they had wanted it.
He said consistency had heard them and seen them drop a couple of matches that they shouldn’t have and put them in the battle for finals spots.
Despite that, finals remain alive but the Gorillas need to keep winning.
“It’s been a bit up and down,” he said. “We had really good availability at the start of the year and as the end we’ve lost a couple of players.
“We’ll do the best that we can and see where we end up. A lot of the sides playing each other this week and next week.
“If we make finals we deserve to and if we don’t that’s OK as well.”
In other matches, PEGS is in a good position heading into day two of its clash with Tullamarine.
Tullamarine was bowled out for 164 with PEGS’ 1-72 in reply.
Omar Phillips is unbeaten on 56 for PEGS.
Meanwhile in senior division, Deer Park has already got first innings points against Sydenham-Hillside and St Albans made 299 against Keilor.
In the Isaacs Howarth Shield, Sunshine is chasing Maribyrnong Park St Marys’ 271, and Footscray United is 1-45 in reply to Sunshine United’s 194.
