MIL Lel will be in a good position when it returns to Frew Park tomorrow for day two of its match against West Gambier in the Mount Gambier and District Cricket Association Barber Shield competition.
Opening with the bat, an impressive effort saw Mil Lel with 207 runs against a tough Roos bowling attack before it was knocked out, with Josh Jantosh’s 112 making up the majority of the score.
If the home team can reinforce this performance with the ball as well, it is possible we could see the first major upset of the season.
However, the changeover last week saw West’s captain Niall Easterbrook and Jack Gosling open with the bat, with the two managing 29 and three not out respectively in the remaining five overs.
This will see the side in good stead going into the second day, but the absence of Easterbrook will see young-gun Connor Prior pad up to take his place.
Prior is more than capable of making runs and will do his best to increase his captain’s tally when he lines up alongside Gosling tomorrow.
New recruit Ben Hentschke performed with the ball last week, claiming four scalps for the day and will hope to give another solid effort when he takes to the crease with bat in hand.
Richard Crute and Bowen Hosking claimed two wickets each in the opening day and they will also be out to back up these efforts at the crease.
They will be joined by the likes of Jake Blackwell and Sam Willis, who proved they can score big in the early rounds of 2017-18.
Blackwell fell just shy of a century with 97 runs last round and he will be determined to make the distance this week, while Willis also made an impact in the previous clash with Penola, making 41 runs.
For Mil Lel, Justin Taylor will look to perform with the ball again, after he claimed three scalps against South Gambier in Round 2.
Rising star Ben Thiel and Caleb Bachmann will also have their eyes set on wickets, while Jack Miller is another capable bowler for the side.
These players will need to hit hard if they are to prevent West from running away on the scoreboard, or all the work in day one will be for nothing.
The team will be hungry for its first win of the season and with West yet to be defeated, it will be a defining match for both teams.
