Rugby will head into the second half of season 2018-19 in third position and with the likes of the experienced Jameel Qureshi set to return from injury, it is a team which certainly has the ability to climb the ladder.

Skipper Sam Macpherson offers his thoughts on the season thus far and what lies ahead.

RUGBY won three of its four one-day games to get the season off to a good start.

While losing players during that stretch, the only blemish was a loss to City Colts as new recruit Brad Glasson, Imran Quershi and Chris Albon hit half centuries while Luke Powell and the skipper had some good hauls with the ball.

“Jameel got injured, Mitch Curle got injured and we had a few people away. Powelly has gone to Sydney, which is obviously great for him. But we were pretty good I think we won three out of our four games,” Macpherson said.

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THE Twenty20 portion of the season was something Rugby would probably rather forget. It lost two games, missed another following a draw alteration, and had its final fixture washed-out.

“Our T20s weren’t too flash, but that was just due to player unavailability really,” Macpherson said.

“We kind of just wanted to get one or two [wins], but we only ended up playing two T20s and didn’t really get the chance, whereas other clubs did.”

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FOR Rugby skipper Sam Macpherson, the key to Rugby climbing the ladder is playing regular cricket and building momentum rather than any specific area of improvement.

“It’s probably not something as such as such we need to improve on, but I don’t think we had two weekends in a row where we played cricket,” he said.

“That doesn’t help with your energy, having a game here and a game there didn’t help us. We just all need to get back into the swing of things, we’ve all had a lot of breaks, so I think we’re all eager to get out there and play.”

IT was the two-day portion of the season last summer which was the key to Rugby Union ending its title drought.

Rugby had one just one win before the mid-season break, but charged up the ladder. Macpherson is hoping for a similar streak this summer. 

“Last year the two-dayers helped us out towards the back end of the season,” he said.

“We’ve obviously got a good batting line-up which can play a bit more of a patient game.

“We’ve got some young bowlers who are pretty fit and can bowl all day and then there’s Thackers who was bowling 20 overs a day last season.”

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A BROKEN thumb ruled Jameel Qureshi out for a bulk of the first half of the season, but be prepared for him to make his presence felt now he’s recovered.

“I think everyone will have their good performances and their bad days in the field. But I think the Qureshi boys, they’re two-day specialists,” Macpherson said.

“Then with the ball, Aidan McBurney or Thackers should be guys to watch.”

WITH two-day games offering plenty of points, there is no doubt there will be plenty of shuffling on the ladder between now and the finals. But Macpherson is no doubt over who is the biggest threat.

“I think Pat’s are the team to beat, they are the favourites to win the comp this year,” he said.