Barrabool look to secure BPCA finals spot

BARRABOOL 1st XI captain Michael Kelson said it would be a big achievement for the side to make the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association finals after losing about half the team during the off-season.

The Bulls are without star English import Ed Morrison and have lost players to the Geelong Cricket Association, while others returned to their home clubs or had family commitments.

Last year’s semi-finalists are in an enthralling race to secure fourth spot with one-and-a-half rounds remaining.

Fourth-placed Barrabool and fifth-ranked Jan Juc are both on 30 points.

Kelson said the Bulls would be stoked to make finals.

“Once you make finals, you only have to win two games and you win the whole thing; it’s not an extended finals period.

“And we’re batting well – we’ve actually batted quite well during the year – so we think if we can win a toss in a semi-final, we can put on a score that may not be gotten.”

But first Barrabool has to got to get there, and the side has batted itself into a strong position against ladder-leader Armstrong Creek, posting 8-206.

The reliable Kane Pickering hit 82 as the top four all got starts against a quality bowling attack on a big ground.

Kelson said Barrabool would have liked 20 more runs but were happy with their competitive total.

He praised fellow opener Shane Stevens’ important stay at the crease to get through a tough period.

He said the Bulls’ focus on day two would be about strangling Armstrong Creek with their bowling and being clean in the field.

“A low 200s score is a score where you need to take your catches and field well. If you do that, then you give yourself every chance.”

In other contests tomorrow (Saturday, February 22), Jan Juc is defending 179 against Anglesea, Barwon Heads is chasing Drysdale’s 257 and Queenscliff are looking to reel in Ocean Grove’s 167.