EGCA still with a battle ahead in pursuit of county week success

Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association boss Andrew Zafer said the A-section team would adopt a win-at-all-cost mindset for a pivotal clash against Busselton-Margaret River on Wednesday, when the senior country week series resumes in Perth.

The local team headed into Tuesday’s rest day with a win and a loss from their opening two games.

It is an identical record as Busselton-Margaret River, but the EGCA are one place higher, in third spot, on percentage.

Defending A-section champions Albany and Upper Great Southern round out the four teams who have each opened the carnival with a 1-1 win-loss record.

Bunbury, who are in Pool A, lead the outright standings with two wins, from Pool B rivals Geraldton who are also unbeaten.

Albany and Bunbury are joined in Pool A by Upper Great Southern and South Midlands.

A big performance on Wednesday could make-or-break the EGCA’s bid to lift the Boan Cup for the first time in five years – ahead of Thursday’s semi-final round.

After losing Sunday’s opener against Geraldton, the EGCA bounced back to defeat a winless West Pilbara by nine wickets.

Zafer lauded the day two performance, but conceded that a big chance for first-up success against Geraldton went begging.

“Our guys bowled pretty well (on Sunday), but it was very hot which reduced the game to 40 overs,” Zafer said.

“We got the worst of those conditions in the field and probably didn’t get away to the start we wanted to - we were chasing our tails a little bit.

“There looked like a glimmer of hope when (Bevan) Bennell and (Graham) Kennedy were batting together, and then when Kennedy and (Sam) Burge were at the crease.

“But it was disappointing that we didn’t have someone able to stand-up and make 50 or 60.

“If that was the case, we probably would have won the game but probably more disappointing was that we couldn’t bat out the overs.

“At four (runs) an over on a pretty good wicket and on a big ground, we ideally should have been able to chase that down.

“But to their credit, they responded very well (against West Pilbara) and will be freshened-up for Wednesday which is essentially a mini-final.

“Hopefully we can do the business and get back to the semis.”

The EGCA’s second team resumes in E-section against Warren-Blackwood leading the standings following big wins in the opening two matches.

Esperance are represented at the carnival by three teams, in B-section, D-section and E-section.

Joining them in D-section is the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Cricket Association.