Fourth, fifth on equal ladder points with finals on line

BARRABOOL or Jan Juc will celebrate sneaking into the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association first XI finals tomorrow (Saturday, March 8) night but it’s difficult to predict which one it will be.

Locked on 33 points each, the fourth and fifth-ranked sides find themselves in tricky situations going into day two of the last home-and-away round.

Barrabool set Queenscliff 209 but the Coutas raced to 0-52 from 12 overs at Ceres Recreation Reserve.

Queenscliff’s Ned Stephens took 7-78 from 21 overs in one of the big bowling efforts of the season on day one.

Jan Juc will be aiming to mow down Barwon Heads’ 220 at home.

Barrabool captain Michael Kelson said the Bulls hoped to take a couple of early wickets as Queenslciff “are definitely in the box seat” on a quick ground.

“We’ve got the tools to do it but obviously they’ve nibbled into that 209 with a bit of chunk,” he said.

“If Barwon Heads can do us a favour, we’ll be much obliged.”

The Bulls’ attack features paceman James Fisher who could play a key role.

“He’s in the top two or three in the bowling aggregate, I think he has taken 20-odd wickets so we’ll rely on him to stand up and take 3-4-5 wickets if he can,” Kelson said.

Regardless of the result, Kelson said he was proud of the team’s growth this season.

“I don’t look at it [like] if you don’t come first, you’re last, that’s definitely not what I’m about,” he said.

In other round 14 contests, Drysdale has second-placed Anglesea 4-6 after setting 199 while Armstrong Creek will be chasing Ocean Grove’s 144.