Needing 119 runs to defeat ORC in its Bathurst District Cricket Association first grade game, City Colts will need to do it without key players Henry Shoemark and Jaden Ekert.
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Shoemark fractured his finger while playing for Bathurst in Western Zone Premier League cricket and Ekert suffered a torn muscle in the match’s first day last Saturday.
Tony Clancy and Mitch Colley will come into the squad to replace the pair that has scored 355 runs between them.
Colts skipper Matt Stephen realises how big a loss the two players are.
“They’re some massive losses. We understand how big they are for us,” he said.
“We’re confident, though, we can get the job done. Tony has come on before and he can turn it on.
“Cricket can just be a funny old game.”
ORC batted first, on the first day of action, and scored 242 runs, after being at 9-113 at one stage in the game.
David Hitchick, playing at number seven, inspired a dramatic recovery for ORC, as he scored 122 runs.
“That’s the second year in a row he’s done that to us [scored a century],” Stephen said.
“Credit where credit’s due, he deserved every run he scored.
“Hopefully we will catch them. I’m confident and the game is evenly poised. We need to put our head down and hit the balls that need to be hit and leave the balls that need to be left.”
After bowling ORC out, Colts managed to score 5-123.
Opening for Colts, Shoemark scored 33 and Pat Hill scored 27.
Matthew Kelly was out for a duck, Ekert scored 27 runs and David Henderson was caught out for five runs.
Stephen (21 runs) and Campbell Morris (four runs) will be in with the bat when play resumes.
“We’ll let the bat do the talking. We need to get past their total and get the first inning points,” Stephen said.
“It’s really important considering how close this season is.
“We can only play what is in front of us. We can only control what’s in front of us and we can’t worry about other games.
Colts are currently second in the competition, while first placed St Pat’s Old Boys and third placed Bathurst City play a crucial match on the same day.
Overall, Stephen said he and his fellow Colts teammates thoroughly enjoy playing ORC.
“We play similar games and there’s fun in the field,” he said.
“The game is always played to win but we always come together after the game.”
Play starts at 1.30pm at Loco Oval.
