Now with that goal fulfilled the Redbacks duo will look to get the runs flowing a little more freely when they resume this Saturday at 3-55 in pursuit of Centrals' total of 100 at Jack Brabham 2.

Victory would keen Bathurst City's faint finals hopes alive but an outright success would start to apply serious pressure on fourth-placed Cavaliers.

Bathurst City captain Joey Coughlan got off to a positive start with the bat when he hit 33 but his dismissal saw Day (5 not out) and Townsend (8 not out) shift their focus.

Day said it was satisfying to get through the challenging final overs and get the team into a winning position.

"When Joey got out my mindset shifted and I just wanted to bat the day out. If I got any freebies I was going to hit them but to the credit of the Centrals bowlers they bowled pretty well and stuck to their plans at the end of the afternoon," he said.

"Going into Saturday we'll definitely be changing our mindset and take a more positive shift towards things.

"The new ball was doing a little bit for us but by the end of the day it was really going up and down. A couple of wickets were taken throughout the day with balls that just shot low. Joey was bowled by one that didn't get above his ankles."

Day and Townsend will naturally use the first few overs to see what the pitch throws at them, but if it's not playing any funny games then Day sees that as a licence to go on the attack.

"I've got first ball so I'll see how that one comes out. From then on I'll just take each one as it comes," he said.

Redbacks currently sit 11 points off Cavaliers.

Centennials Bulls can do Bathurst City a massive favour if they can chase down the necessary 13 runs they need to take first innings points over Cavs.

"We feel like we're in the box seat for this game and we've set ourselves up for a possible outright if things can go our way," Day said.

"First goal is the next 46 runs and then the outright is the end goal."