FIVE teams are separated by just three points after round four action on Saturday.
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Belvoir lead second-placed St Patricks by .6 while Tallangatta sit behind them by the narrowest of margins.
Lavington will be chomping at the bit having defeated the ladder leader’s by 99 runs on Saturday largely thanks to 5-39 from opening bowler Jethro Menzies.
The early pressure and wickets had Belvoir on the back foot from the outset as they tumbled to 116 all out.
Lavington captain Sam O’Connor said the damage was done by his quicks.
“Jethro got a wicket first ball and we rolled on from there,” he said.
“He bowled exceptionally well and his pressure combined with Lachlan Taylor Nugent put Belvoir on the back foot.”
O’Connor said he was extremely pleased with Taylor Nugent's miserly efforts.
“Lachie provided immense pressure and conceded just 14 runs in 15 overs,” he said.
“He and Jethro bowled the first 25 or 30 overs and it was the same sort of deal when Tom Hargreave and Brad Dalbosco came on.”
O’Connor said Belvoir's spinners stopped the Panthers from cruising to a bigger total.
“We had a solid start but once the spinners came on they bowled and fielded really well and reigned us in to 215,” he said.
As a club we’re very strong and very close knit and we have a lot of depth so there’s pressure on the other sides
- Sam O'Connor
O’Connor said after the fall of the first wicket at 83 there was still a lot of confidence in the batsman.
“After the first wicket we definitely set our sights a bit higher but after 80 overs we were confident to defend it, we batted well to get to 200,” he said.
O’Connor said batting 80 overs was a target to achieve for the Panthers all season.
“We batted our 80 overs in our last game and we knew that even if we batted our way through it would be a hard task against Belvoir,” he said.
O’Connor hinted the club's next game against the Wodonga Raiders would again need the basic principles adhered to.
“If we bat and bowl well we can beat most sides,” he said.
“Sam Harris is coming back next week so there’ll definitely be pressure on spots.”
O’Connor said there was a real buzz on and off-field around the efforts and contributions from the side this season.
“In the last couple of weeks we’ve been training really hard and started to get a groove as a team,” he said.
“As a club we’re very strong and very close knit and we have a lot of depth so there’s pressure on the other sides.”
“We're confident of the work we've been doing and what we're going to do.”
Albury comfortably beat the Raiders by more than an innings, Wodonga made sure East Albury wouldn't see a victory and New City couldn't find a way to keep St Patrick's contained as they lost on their first innings.
