Cats cling to top eight

GEELONG will again face the challenge of requiring 10 wickets for victory as it proves to itself it deserves a spot in the Premier Cricket finals.

The Cats will more than likely declare at 8-312 to give themselves every opportunity of securing the points against Dandenong to hold their spot inside the top eight.

The eighth-placed side was in the same position against St Kilda a fortnight ago, declaring at 7-329 before the Saints finished at 8-259 with Geelong unable to claim 10 wickets in 102 overs.

Geelong coach Andre Borovec said his side would be better placed this time around.

“That’s certainly been part of the preparation, last week as well,” Borovec said.

“We did a bit of work on our stump-to-stump bowling and our plan B and plan C bowling. A big part of the day will be upfront, I think, trying to make some early inroads and that of course takes some pressure off later in the day.

“We’re confident we can (get 10 wickets). We’ve got a good attack, a good spin attack as well, complemented by place and the ability for guys to bowl keeper-up-to-the-stumps mediums too.”

The match was in the balance near tea when Angus Boyd was run-out for seven, leaving the visitors delicately poised at 5-161.

But Brenton McDonald (85) and Luke Inglis (53) put on a defining 111-run partnership to help get their side beyond 300.

“The first half of the day it’s fair to say we were in front of the game, but there were certain periods of the day it could have gone either way, so that was the pleasing thing, that we won those critical moments,” Borovec said.

“We’re confident ... that that’s a reasonable score, so it’s more than likely we’ll bowl straight away.” Earlier, Mitchell Reid (63) and Eamonn Vines (49) put Geelong into a commanding position.