PRIOR to their match against Rugby, CYMS skipper Ryan Medley challenged his team to play four good days of cricket to end the regular season.
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They responded by completing a comfortable win over Jordan Moran’s men on Saturday, leaving them with a faint hope of making the 2016/17 Whitney Cup finals.
Defending their first day total of 215 the Cougars skittled Rugby, who started the day on 2/31, for just 130 on Saturday, earning a bonus point and moving into fourth place on the ladder.
Ben Knaggs starred with figures of 6/30 for CYMS, who now must beat Souths in the final round and hope Macquarie falls to Rugby.
“We knew we couldn’t make it if we lost one of our last two so I just said to the boys it’s four good days of cricket,” Medley said.
“We’ve played two of them, and now we have to do it again against Souths.
“Regardless of what happens with Macquarie’s game, we can’t make it if we don’t beat Souths so we’ll worry about that and if Macquarie wins and we miss out, then good luck to them.”
Knaggs got the plaudits with his excellent figures, but Medley praised the entire bowling unit for the work it did against Rugby.
“Benny was exceptional but I thought ‘Busta’ Nelson bowled well and built pressure as well as I’ve ever seen him, and Benny O’Donnell did the same.
“Then we had Yogi Chawla come on and give us a genuine legspinning option and he got a couple of wickets as well. Everyone did their job and that’s exactly what we needed.
“We have a young side and it’s been like that all year with blokes stepping up at different stages to play their part.”
For Rugby, the loss means they cannot make the finals for 2016/17 and they will be out to try and avoid the wooden spoon when they play their final match of the season over the next two Saturdays.