GO in for the kill.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That is what Jameel Qureshi hopes his Rugby Union team-mates can do on Saturday when play resumes in their Bathurst District Cricket Association first grade match against Centennials Bulls.
Rugby finds itself in a position to push for an outright win in the two-day match at the Sportsground after dismissing Bulls for 56 in reply to their 143.
The competition points such a result would earn Rugby, which currently sits in last with just one win, would be a massive boost. Still, Qureshi knows his side must work in order to find it.
Qureshi, who was the top scorer on the opening day of play with an 89, will not be present for Rugby this Saturday while captain Sam Macpherson is another absentee for the Bulldogs.
Coming in to replace them are Tyler Horton and Jimmy Tristrum, while captaincy of the side passes to Ryan Peacock.
“The game could still go either way and we need to stay switched on and go for the kill … one hundred percent an outright is the goal, it’s got to be our mindset,” Qureshi said.
“But it’s nicely poised, it gives Cents an opportunity, if they perform well an outright could be on the cards for them as well.
“We’ve put ourselves there [in last], so we’ve got to get ourselves out of there, but I do believe we’ve got the team to make that happen.
“With no [Josh] Tooley there for them, that’s a big hole and puts a lot of pressure on guys like Browny [Andrew Brown] and Ryan Gurney.
“Their number four looked like a pretty good bat – Troy Kenny – so they’ve got some good players and we’ve got to stay switched on. We’ve got to play smart cricket, but aggressive cricket as well.”
While bowlers dominated the opening day of play as 20 wickets fell, Qureshi feels the Sportsground pitch can be one which sees batsmen impress. His patient knock is proof.
“I disagree, I didn’t think it was a bowler friendly deck, I thought the bowlers did well, but the batting was pretty ordinary across both teams. It was a little bit green, but I thought it was pretty good once you go in to bat,” he said.