By Tara Murray
Bacchus Marsh has the ideal lead-in to the Gisborne and District Cricket Association McIntyre Cup finals.
With the top four decided, the Bulls get the chance to face another finals side, Diggers Rest Bulla in the final round of the season.
Pending results, the two teams could face each other in the first week of the finals. Bulls captain-coach James Lidgett said he wanted this sort of game before finals.
“I think it’s ideal playing hard, tough cricket,” he said. “Before all the real serious stuff happens.
“It’s an ideal test against a tough side and I think the game is in the balance.”
The Bulls won the toss and elected to bat.
They made 8-201 off their 80 overs. Lidgett said both sides had their moments.
PHOTO GALLERY: Diggers Rest Bulla vs Bacchus Marsh
“They bowled really well, particularly early on,” he said. “Towards the end we fought back and were able to post a really good score.”
Lidgett, who was coming off a century, top scored with 54.
He said it wasn’t his best innings, facing some really good bowling.
“It’s always good to contribute.”
Lidgett said he would back his bowling attack to get the job done after a consistent season so far.
He said he expected the game to go down to the wire.
The Bulls will finish the regular season in either third or fourth, depending on the result and the outcome of Sunbury United’s game with Riddell. Lidgett said the Bulls were happy with how they had built into the season.
“There’s always things to improve on, but you can’t falter anyone,” he said.
“It’s been a tough season, a different style to the last couple of years, but we’ve executed it pretty well.”
The two-time reigning premiers enter the finals in a different position to the last two seasons, when they’ve been red hot favourites before claiming the premiership.
This year, all the pressure is on Gisborne which is aiming to go through the regular season undefeated.
Lidgett said they would approach finals the same way they have in previous seasons.
“It does have a different feel to it,” he said.
“There’s less pressure, but I still think we can win it. We’re not expected to win it, but I enjoy the challenge.”
The Bulls currently have five of their seven teams sitting in finals positions, with Lidgett saying it will be a couple of exciting weeks for the club.
“The club environment is thriving and we had people in the right spots in all the teams. It’s credit to those individuals.”
In other McIntyre Cup matches, Gisborne has claimed first innings points against Woodend. Riddell made 9-144 against Sunbury United, while Romsey is 0-73 against St Anthony’s.
