St Anthonys needs to get back to basics with the bat if it’s to turn around its form in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association B-grade competition.
St Anthonys started the season with two wins before a washout but has now suffered two straight losses.
Captain-coach Cam Clayton puts both the losses down to the batting.
“The game against Wallan we didn’t bat our overs out. We didn’t get too many partnerships going and it cost us.
“If we’d batted out the overs we would have won, and it was the same thing against Bacchus Marsh.
“You’re not going to win too many matches batting for 57 overs. We started okay, but then we lost quick wickets and you have to try and make up for it. If you bat for your 75, 80 overs you’re going to win 90 per cent of your matches.”
On Saturday, St Anthonys was defending the 184 it made on day one of the match against Bacchus Marsh.
The game went down to the wire, with Bacchus Marsh needing 10 runs with one wicket in hand.
The Bulls managed to get the winning runs, finishing 9-190.
Clayton said they would look to shore up the middle order in the next few rounds.
Former player Wes Greig has returned to the club, while Matthew Perry is a chance to return from injury.
“We’re looking at making a couple of changes and getting in some blokes who can play that role in the middle order. We need to tighten that up a bit.”
While the batting has been letting them down, Clayton said the bowling side of things was on track.
“We’ve got a lot of options and all-rounders. The key for us now is to bat out the overs.”
St Anthonys is fifth on the ladder, just over 10 points behind its next opponent Sunbury United.
Clayton said this was one game they identified in the pre-season as a particularly big fixture. “Sunbury United will be a good test. They’ve been in McIntyre Cup and won many premierships. Our group wants to play McIntyre Cup. This will show where we’re at and whether we’re at that level.
“It’s going to be so close this season, you don’t know who will finish in the top four.
Elsewhere, East Sunbury and Macedon played out a tie. The Thunder needed one run for victory off the final ball, but Lachlan Wilkins was run-out.
Sunbury United held off Lancefield to win by 29 runs, while Wallan defeated Ashfield.
