Tara Murray
The equation is pretty simple for Hoppers Crossing in the final round of the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association east-west.
Win and the Cats play finals. Lose and the Cats will have to rely on the three other teams on the same amount of points losing.
Cats captain-coach Simon Lambert knows they have made things harder than they should be in the run home.
“We have to win to play finals,” he said.
“A win yesterday would have made life easier, but such as life. We still have our fate in our hands which was a positive.”
The Cats had a tough day in the field against Croydon on Saturday as they looked to defend 244 made on day one.
Lambert said they would have been happy with 250, so their score was just below what they had been aiming for.
Croydon hit the winning runs in the final over, finishing 7-226. Bhaumik Jani was the only multiple wicket taker with two wickets.
Lambert said the weather made for some pretty horrific conditions.
“It rained for about 75 per cent of the day and we played in it,” he said.
“The last 20 overs I didn’t have a bowler that could grip the ball properly. It was hard for all our bowlers to grip the ball and it started skidding instead of spinning.
“Should we have played, I’m not sure, but it was in our best interest to try and get the win.”
Lambert gave credit to his bowlers for taking the game down to the last over, but admitted with four overs to go they were probably ahead.
“It was a good effort to get that close,” he said.
“We’ve been there or thereabouts in every game, but the Spotswood game when we were behind the eight ball.
“We’ve lost one game in the last over and one on the last ball. The other two we were 2-130 odd.
“If we don’t make finals it will be a bitter pill to swallow.”
The Cats face Altona in the final round of the season. It’ll be a return to the one-day format, which Lambert said he was looking forward to.
The Cats will again be without number three Shijit Chandran, who has missed the last two games while in India.
Lambert is prepared for another tough challenge.
“I don’t think they can make finals,” he said. “They’re a competitive side and everyone can beat everyone in this competition.
“Whoever turns up will win and hopefully that is us.”
The Cats third and fourth XI have already qualified for finals, while their second XI has to win in the final round.
Meanwhile, Werribee secured its finals spot with an outright win against Donvale.
Having secured first innings points on day one, the Tigers bowled Donvale out for 137 in its second innings.
Jonathan Burton took six wickets, to make it a total of 11 for the game.
The Tigers wasted no time getting the runs finishing 1-42 off 6.3 overs to seal the whole 10 points.
The win secures the Tigers finals spot. They enter the final round in second spot.
