After what was a slow start to the season, Coro captain Haydn Pascoe has been pleased with the progress his side have shown in the later stages of the season.

“It didn’t look like it was going to be our year at the start of the season after a couple of losses in the first few rounds,” he said.

“We turned it around and have been playing some pretty good cricket towards the end of the year, so that is pretty pleasing.”

The Cougars have been buoyed by the return of opening bowlers Alex Flood who according to Pascoe has given the side what they were missing.

“Floody missed the first half of the season with a broken toe and came back just after Christmas,” he said.

“He bowled really well to take some early wickets last weekend (against Hanwood), and we were really missing a bowler who was able to do that.”

With that in mind coming into the game against Exies, Pascoe knows early wickets will be crucial to his side’s success.

“Exies have shown that they are a good outfit,” he said.

“They have a really long batting line-up, and you cannot take them lightly.”

Coro will be without one of their regulars this weekend with William Kennedy missing from the line-up, but Pascoe said the likes of Jonathan Morris and William Dalton should be able to handle the pressure in his Kennedy’s absence.

Exies will be heading into this game off the back of two straight losses for the first time this season but will have confidence knowing they have won two of the three meetings so far this season with the third ending in a washout.

Umpires Draw

1st Grade Timed Cricket

1.00pm: Coro v Exies  at Exies 2: Joe Catanzariti  and Richie Alvaro

4.30pm: Leagues v Diggers  at Exies 1: Garry Tucker and Glen Bock

2nd Grade 1.00pm start

Coleambally v Exies at Collina: Gordon Browne

Coro v Diggers at Westend: Peter Davis

3rd Grade

Friday 5.45pm: Coly v Coro  at Exies 1: Don Coleman and Doug Cattanach

Saturday 1.00pm: Hanwood v Leagues at Hanwood: Liam Warren

Sunday at Exies 1

Geoff Lawson Shield v Temora: Peter Davis