BOTTOM-placed Rutherglen is on the verge of a major upset in the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association after taking control of its match against Wangaratta Magpies at Norm Minns Oval on Saturday.
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The winless Redlegs will target the Magpies’ top order when play resumes next week with the visitors defending their biggest score in years, 212.
That total could have been even bigger had young Rutherglen skipper Sam Stewart, who top-scored, not been run out for 65 attempting a second run after a shot through mid-wicket.
Stewart, who put on 109 for the second wicket with his 17-year-old younger brother Declan, said he was happy with the score against the third-placed Pies on a well-prepared wicket.
“At the start of the game I was hoping for about 200 but as the day progressed I was hoping for around 240,” Stewart said.
“We fell a bit short but it was still a good effort.”
Magpie Heath Cox was the pick of the bowlers with 4-19 and Zac Guilfoyle was outstanding with 3-38 from 10 overs, while Matt Thewlis took 2-58.
While Rutherglen was happy with the total, four players made ducks.
Stewart said star Pies batsmen Barry Grant and Luke Sims posed the biggest threat to his side’s victory chances.
While Grant hasn’t had his best season — he has made just 51 runs at 12.8 — he is always a danger on his home deck at Norm Minns Oval, while Sims is hard to dismiss once he is set at the crease.
Stewart said the first few overs next weekend would be crucial to his side’s chances of a breakthrough victory.
“Magpies are a good batting side and the deck is always good down there but our strength is our bowling and I think we’ll be right to defend that total,” Stewart said.
“Blokes like Barry Grant and Luke Sims and a few other blokes are capable of big scores; if we can get those blokes early we will be looking really good.”
Redlegs wicketkeeper Steve Battisson is unavailable next week, with Declan Stewart likely to take the gloves in his absence.
The Magpies are expected to remain unchanged and skipper Paul Smithwick said he was confident his side could make the runs.
“We’ve got 200 to make so it should be a good chase,” Smithwick said.
“We haven’t made 200 this year but I’d hope to get that. The wicket should be pretty good; we’ve certainly got the people to do it.”