Khalilsetfor fourcupfinals
Perth Doo’cot captain Kash Khalil has highlighted that the club’s next four league games are being viewed upon as finals.
The Fair City side are desperate to piece together a full performance and climb away from the bottom half of the current standings.
Doo’cot, who currently sit seventh, hit the road this weekend to face off against leaders Falkland and Khalil will have his players fired up.
Further fixtures against Arbroath, Meigle and Dundee High School FP then await.
“The next four games are all like finals for us. We really need to work hard,”43-year-old Khalil explained to the Perthshire Advertiser.
“Compared to the last couple of seasons, this league has become stronger.
“You have Falkland and Stoneywood Dyce who have been on top. Even the other teams have strengthened.
“On paper our team is very strong but it’s about focusing.
“There’s a few lads who I’ve spoken to and said we really need to up our game here.
“With the league being stronger, if we can finish fifth or sixth, I tell you I think we’ve done well.
“The team has to be together now in the last four games. We need to go out on a Saturday and say we’re going to go for it.
“Perth has a lot of history here with the cricket. If we can finish fifth or sixth then we can forget about cricket for the winter.
“Then we can focus on next season and build again.”
Poor decision making with the bat has played its part in the Perth side’s inconsistent nature of results this campaign.
Khalil said:“It has been a little bit inconsistent and the batting has been a little bit of a letdown. In the middle we’re not using the overs up.
“Our last game we were 230 - a very good score - which should give us a little bit of confidence going into the next games.
“If the top order clicks, the bottom order will. This week I have a bit of a change of a plan.
“Saturday is going to be tough, then we have Arbroath who are bottom of the league.
“We have a chance but cricket is a funny game and you just never know. I’m not saying anything until it comes to the day.
“But we’re not thinking that Falkland are top of the league.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket against them and when I was at Freuchie we were hammering them two seasons on the trot.
“None of us can relax. What I would’ve liked is to have already finished halfway in the league and put the feet up and enjoy the last four games.
“But no - all these four games that are coming up are finals.
“They really are and the boys have to notice that.”
Meanwhile, Perth received a surprise boost this week after being reinstated to the CS Challenge Cup.
They were originally knocked out but it has come to light that, in a previous round, opponents Forres played two ineligible players.
Forres were subsequently disqualified from competing in the final.
The two teams they beat prior to Perth will play in a quarter final this Sunday, with the winner travelling to Doo’cot on August 12 for the semi-final.
Elsewhere at the club, the second XI entertain St Andrews University Staff on Saturday while, on Sunday, the third XI play Stirling at Doo’cot.