LEAGUES Club Panthers have one foot in the Griffith District Cricket Association finals after producing a superb batting display on day one of their two-day clash against the Coro Cougars at West End Oval.
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The Panthers piled on 7-256 before throwing the Cougars into bat with 30 minutes left in the day.
The decision proved a good one, with the Panthers removing Robbie Rand and Shane Hutchinson cheaply to have the Cougars 2-8.
Fifth on the ladder before the clash, the Panthers have to win first innings points to qualify for the finals.
Panthers captain Paul Plummer said it was pleasing to see his players lift with their season at stake.
“It’s do or die for us. If we lose we are no chance of making finals,” Plummer said.
“With that in mind, I thought we batted superbly.”
The Panthers made a tentative start and were reduced to 2-7 after Coro bowlers Alex Flood and Chris Mansell made early breakthroughs.
Logan Matheson (53) and Plummer (28) rebuilt the innings, but it was Dan Bozic who boosted the Panthers to their intimidating total.
Coming in at No.6, Bozic dispatched the ball to and over the boundary at will before he was dismissed for 95.
Plummer said Bozic deserved a century for his clinical hitting.
“He (Bozic) just picked his ball to hit,” Plummer said.
“He started off reasonably quick, but it was just good, clean hitting.
“If it wasn’t there to hit, he didn’t play the shot.”
Also keeping the scorers busy was Andrew Madden, who blasted a rapid-fire 55 not out before Plummer closed the innings.
Coro’s sole goal for the rest of the day would have been survival, but wickets to Plummer and Bozic ensured the Cougars have plenty of work ahead of them on day two.
One player the Cougars would love to have out there batting is captain Haydn Pascoe, but the top-order star withdrew from the game after hurting his ankle last Friday.
Pascoe, however, has plenty of faith in his team’s batting depth.
“It’s going to be a tough chase, especially with the scoreboard pressure,” he said.
“But the boys can do it. We’ve batted 70 overs twice already this season and on both occasions we’ve got 250-plus.”
Pascoe said the first 10 overs when play resumed would be crucial.
“Hopefuly we can see off the new ball and build from there,” he said. “I’ve got full confidence in the boys that they can get the runs.”
