Saints have finals in their sights in spite of tough run home

STARING down a season-defining run of matches, finals contender St Peter’s believes it can compete with the best.

The Saints sit fifth on the ladder — equal on points with fourth-placed Modewarre — and a win today over Geelong City (third) will draw them level with the Sharks on 33 points.

With games to come against Highton (sixth), Modewarre (fourth) and Marshall (second), St Peter’s captain Billy Ford said his side was looking forward to the challenge of taking on fellow finals hopefuls.

“We’re sitting all right at the minute and have given ourselves a chance anyway,” Ford said.

“It will probably do us good playing against sides around us because we know we can’t afford to lose. If we’re good enough we’ll make it and if we’re not, we are not. If we play our best and put in 100 per cent and things don’t work on the day and we get beaten, that’s just what happens.”

Wet conditions delayed the start of day one in the clash last week, and reduced the amount of overs to be faced.

Sitting in a solid spot at 6-189 after Phil Lang’s 82, St

Peter’s lost 3-8 late in the afternoon as City’s Henry Rollins (4-34) changed the game.

The Saints will have half an hour to bat today before their innings is closed.

At 9-197, Ford is expecting last pair Sam Bourke (0) and Drew Bowman (67) to bat for time.

“Everyone got themselves out playing silly shots that didn’t need to be played,” Ford said. “We might have to try and consolidate, get another 10 to 15 runs and hope to bat the half-hour so we don’t give Geelong City any more overs to bat.”

Star City bat Richie Oliver belted a century when the teams last met, while Pat Richards wasn’t playing.

Middle-order batsman Luke Inglis also fired for City in that match, scoring 71.

“It’s probably sitting 60-40 City’s way, I reckon. Obviously their batting line-up phenomenal,” Ford said. TEAMS across the region will be on alert today, with the GCA to make a ruling on whether the expected smoke haze will result in match abandonments at 11.30am.

The association will monitor conditions throughout the day and call off cricket if airquality readings exceed 150 on the EPA’s fine-particle measurement. is