Kurri Weston skipper Tyler Power and his Eastern Suburbs counterpart Jack Bennett are both hoping for a sufficient break in forecast rain over the weekend to ensure results are possible in the final round of Maitland cricket.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kurri Weston (fourth) play second-placed City United at Robins Oval and Easts (fifth) host sixth-placed Thornton.
While a wash-out would ensure Power's first grade side secures the final spot in the semi-finals, the club as a whole is desperate for one last shot for their teams across the grades to collect enough points to claim the club championship from City United.
(City United lead the club championship. Easts and Kurri Weston totals on an unadjusted table include points from the one-day competition.)
The Warriors set winning their first club championship as a key goal from the start of the season, but after making last year's final probably did not expect having to fight for the last first grade semi-final spot on the final weekend of the regular season.
"If no one gets to play because of rain then we make the finals, but really the club championship is the most important thing for us as a club," Power said.
"Our form hasn't been great with the bat of late, but we've bowled well and if we beat City United at Robins on Saturday we are in the finals.
"We need every win we can get if we are any chance of fulfilling our season goal of winning the club championship. We've never done it, it's a big one for the club."
Bennett, a former Kurri Weston player, said Easts were so anxious to get on the ground that they had put covers on King Edward Park on Wednesday to ensure every chance of playing.
"It's a big game for us, but we're looking forward to it," Bennett said.
"We know Thornton are a good cricket team who have definitely under-performed this year. We know they are going to be up for it. They've got nothing to lose, they'll be out there enjoying their cricket just a we will.
"We've just got to take care of ourselves and hopefully other things take care of themselves later in the day as well."
Bennett and Power both put their teams' recent form slumps down to their batting.
"We've been a little bit off with our batting, just not building those partnerships like we had before Christmas," Bennett said.
"We've lost a wicket and instead of consolidating for the next five overs, we've lost wickets in clumps."
Bennett said Easts' outright loss to Wests was a combination of coming up against a good bowling attack and not applying themselves fully.
Easts have selected a 12-man squad for Saturday, bringing in under-15 dynamo Jett Lee and paceman Cal Sargent to boost the bowling and welcoming back Englishman Toby Godfray to steady their batting.
We've brought Jett back up from seconds. In the last two games he has taken 10 wickets and bowled the house down at training. He deserves another chance."
Power said Kurri Weston had not shown enough patience in their batting in recent weeks and had failed to build partnerships.
"We're a fairly young side and I think there are going to be lapses in concentration, but to be honest we've probably had a history of trying to force things along in games," he said.
In other games Tenambit Morpeth host Norths (third) and Wests (firsts) travel to Raymond Terrace.
