FINALS LURE
Day two likely to shape the top four
HIGHTON co-coach Hayden Murrell says his side isn’t looking any further ahead than the 256 runs required for victory against Marshall this week, with the prospect of a victory virtually cementing their finals place.
It is a season-defining round that can shape the top four, with secondplaced Bell Park taking on thirdplaced Torquay, coupled with the Bears hosting Highton.
Marshall came into the round nine points adrift of the Heat and set the scene for an intriguing second day with a strong batting effort on Saturday.
“I think from now on every game is crucial if we want to play finals cricket,” Murrell said. “We just want to win every game we play from here and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Highton toiled away on a flat Marshall wicket on Saturday, making early inroads to have the Bears 3-60 at one stage before Stan Grazotis made 83 to shepherd Marshall over the 250-run mark.
Grazotis hit 10 boundaries in his half-century, receiving dogged support from keeper-batsman Jake Hil- ton (42) at the top of the order. Highton eventually bowled Marshall out for 255 in the shadows of stumps, with left-arm import Charlie Dewhurst finishing with the best figures of 3-26 from 13.1 overs.
“I thought we bowled pretty well as a unit to be honest,” Murrell said.
“It was tough to rip through a team on a good wicket like that, but I thought we were pretty disciplined through the day.
“Obviously Grazotis batted really well through the middle period, which made it tough for us, but I thought it was a pretty good effort with the ball.”
Murrell (2-68) struck an important early blow, pinning run-maker Corey Walter lbw for just five, before spinner Ali Ross (2-54 from 21 overs) had Josh Janssen (20) and Jake Dubbeldam (9) also lbw either side of the drinks break to have the Heat in the ascendancy.
However, Grazotis alongside valuable contributions from Nathan Frye (19), Kal Dubbeldam (20) and No. 10 James Menzies (22) got Marshall beyond 250.
With a spot in the finals looming should his side complete a successful chase on day two, Murrell said his side would go in confident.
“I think it’s a very chaseable total,” the co-coach said.
“Obviously we’ll have to bat well, but it’s always a good batting wicket at Marshall as it was on Saturday. We need to get off to a good start.”