Hawkesbury Cricket Club will have its work cut out for it, defending a below par total against Sutherland in first grade this weekend.
The Hawks go into the second day of their Sydney Grade Cricket match after posting 281 on the first day.
It is a score, which is about 100 runs short of what the club would have liked to put up, however, the club did itself a favour in the dwindling light of the first day, as it claimed one of Sutherland’s openers.
Sutherland will resume on 1-39, with former Australian vice-captain Shane Watson at the crease.
Spinner Arjun Nair claimed Hawkesbury’s only wicket, and the club will look to the up and coming cricketer to lead the attack against Sutherland.
Nair, along with former state cricketer Anthony Kershler, can be difficult to bat against, and Hawkesbury will need the pair to claim plenty of wickets, if it is a hope of winning.
The Hawks have lost all of their two-day matches this season, however, have been chasing in all of them.
Despite not posting an ideal total, the club feels its bowling stocks have the strike power to win a match, and with the pressure on the opposition for a change, the Hawks can afford to take some risks.
First grade will play at Glenn McGrath Oval, Caringbah, while the Hawks’ second grade team will be at Bensons Lane.