Rupertswood doesn’t think it’s a bottom team – and the side showed on Sunday it won’t go down without a fight in its Gisborne and District Cricket Association’s McIntyre Cup quest.
Having worked hard to get back to top grade, Rupertswood has spent most of the season in the bottom half of the ladder, and right on the bottom for several weeks. It played the weekend’s matches from that spot.
And it was a poor first day against Diggers Rest Bulla on Saturday – Rupertswood sank to another loss, its eighth of the season.
But on Sunday, a win against top-side Sunbury lifted Rupertswood from its morass.
Before the weekend’s matches, Rupertswood captain-coach Mark Ryan said his side’s inconsistency had been disappointing.
“We’ve got to find some winning form,” he said. “We had been expecting to be a bit higher … we can beat anyone on our day, but we have to be in good touch. The consistency isn’t there.”
He pointed out wins against Gisborne and Riddell as indications of what his side can do.
What’s letting Rupertswood down is the batting, Ryan said.
In its last three losses, Rupertswood’s highest score has been 125.
“Our batting has been really poor, and on the weekend (against Diggers Rest Bulla), we had the chance to post a good score.
“I wish I could put my finger on it – we’ve got to take the opportunities when they are there.
“The last few weeks we’ve been trying to get some consistency and form.”
It was its poor batting performance that cost Rupertswood its match against Diggers Rest Bulla. Defending just 125, Rupertswood bowled the Burras out for 170. Aaron Forward was the best of the bowlers, taking 3-18.
Ryan should have been pleased with his side’s second innings, in which they made 2-100.
Rupo took that same form into Sunday’s one-day match against local rivals Sunbury.
Coming off a rare loss, Sunbury made 8-172.
Rupertswood managed to hit the winning runs with one over to spare, finishing 6-174.
The loss pushes Sunbury off top spot, leaving it to Riddell, the form team of the competition.
Ryan said Rupo has given up on making finals, so the goal now is to ensure they stay in the top division.
Rupertswood is currently slightly more than two points clear of Romsey, which has slipped down the ladder after two losses on the weekend.
“We’re desperate to stay up there,” he said.
“We knocked off Gisborne and Riddell, now the form team of the competition.
“If we play our best, we can knock them off.”
Ryan said Forward had been a standout this season and was unlucky not to have more wickets, while David McDonald has also shown some form with the ball.
