Lightning hopes to maintain form
CRICKET: The Livewired Lightning are flying high at the top of the Darling Downs Bush Bash League ladder through two rounds.
They’ve shown versatility in putting runs on the board first, and chasing down totals over the past fortnight, and captain Kris Glass said spirits couldn’t be higher among the group.
“We’re going really well at the moment,” Glass said.
“We have a good group of guys of all different ages and everyone is contributing. That’s the main reason we’re doing so well.
“Everyone knows their role and job, and they’ve been executing that plan whether they’re batting or bowling.”
One of the constants throughout the Lightning’s two games has been the strength of their opening partnerships between Jack Potter and Anthony Wilson, with first-wicket stands of 65 and 44.
They will be without Wilson tomorrow night however, with the Ipswich batsman unavailable through prior cricketing commitments.
Glass said while he is a tough man to replace, the side has the depth to be able to minimise the impact of his absence.
“We’ve had two games where both our openers got off to really good starts. I don’t think we’ll ever be able to cover someone like him,” he said.
“In saying that we have some really good depth, and we’ll be looking for someone to take on a bit more ownership and pick up where he left off.
“It’s a good test for us. It’s a good sign if we are successful in winning without him, because he is a very good player.
“We’ve had some preliminary discussions as to who will open, but not a concrete idea set in our mind at the moment.
“There are some players that haven’t had a hit yet, so there’s always the option to push them up the top of the order. We’ve actually got some really good depth, so we’re confident whoever goes up can do a job and get us off to a good start.”
The Lightning can go a long way to ensuring a top-three finish with victory, while their opponents, the George Banks Umbrellas, need a win to keep their finals hopes alive after starting the season with two losses.
They will clash as the final game of a triple-header at the newly developed Highfields Sports Park, and Glass said it will be interesting to see how the pitch plays out.
“The Umbrellas have very little to lose, so it will be tough playing against a team like that,” he said.
“In essence all six teams are similar in regards to talent and depth, and I think they’ll be very hungry.
“The pitch will be a bit of an unknown. It’s one of the first games on it, and my thought process is it will be quite low and slow being a new pitch.”
The two sides will meet at 6pm, with the Aidacare Aztecs and Liebke Lions beginning proceedings at 10am, followed by the Hip Pocket Rockets and Valley Raptors at 2pm.