BRAD Glasson chose a great time to produce his best ever Bathurst Orange Inter District Cricket score, and a great batting partner to do it with.
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Glasson played more than just a supporting role for Ryan Peacock's (100) century last Saturday as he scored 79 excellent runs of his own to help take Rugby Union to 227 all out against Centrals at the Sportsground.
While it wasn't the final score Rugby would have envisioned after the 135-run stand between Peacock and Glasson it's still a score that can easily be defended.
Centrals resume the chase on 1-64.
With the fourth-placed City Colts having already secured first innings points this round it means Rugby Union, sitting two points behind in fifth, badly need a victory to stay within striking distance of the top four.
Glasson said there weren't any major tricks the Sportsground deck was playing last weekend, and it was a fun strip to bat on once you got settled.
"That was a great partnership toiling away through the early overs and batting only got easier through the day. You can't complain with that sort of start," he said.
"You just have to give yourself 30 balls and after that it was comfortable. Once you get through that initial time with the bat it feels pretty easy out there.
"That total gives us something to bowl at. Something over 250 would have been nice with the platform that we built up but that's just cricket. Anything over 200 always gives you a good chance, especially on a wet wicket."
Rain could indeed become a factor in Saturday's clash.
There's an 80 per cent chance of 10 to 20mm of rain falling on Bathurst on the day, and if the game still goes ahead then that will make the fielding team a very happy side.
Glasson said he certainly won't be complain about a damper ball and a slower outfield.
"We're meant to get up to 20mm so that could wreak havoc with the ball," he said.
The danger for Rugby will be if current Centrals batsmen Kurt Gander (29 not out) and Fletcher Rose (24 not out) get settled at the crease, just as Peacock and Glasson did.
"The big horse is Fletcher Rose. He's their mainstay in the batting lineup," Glasson said.
"He's pumped us around the park before. It was at the same ground last year he did just that, so we know what he's capable of. Hopefully we can get him early."
Rose clubbed a match-winning 71 against Rugby in last season's clash.
Rugby get a big helping hand with the ball this Saturday as Aidan McBurney comes into the attack.