Barrier Daily Truth

Central confident

Monday, 20th February, 2012

TAKE THAT: Central’s Adam Rhodes smashed three sixes and three fours on his way to 40.

Central will head into next week’s preliminary final full of confidence after an impressive win over a disappointing South at the Jubilee Oval on Saturday.

Captain Cameron Wells yesterday heaped praise his side which reached South’s modest total of 79 all out with the loss of just one wicket.

“It was good to get a win like that going into the semi-finals,” Wells said.

“Everyone performed and pretty much did what I asked them to do.”

Wells would have preferred his side had a bit more of a hit-out ahead of this weekend’s game against North but said “you can only play what’s put in front of you”.

According to Well, the Roos got off to a flyer before opening bowler Casey Paul put the brakes on the innings when he got both openers out with score on 36.

That triggered a collapse that saw South put on just 43 more runs for the next eight wickets. Paull, who finished with 2/24, and Adam Armstrong, 3/27 off six overs, were Central’s best bowlers.

Adam Rhodes made short work of the Roos’ total, smashing three sixes and three fours on his way to 40 before fellow opener Scott Shephard (21) and Adam Armstrong chased down the remaining runs.

Wells said he used the game, which had no bearing on the outcome of the finals, to give his middle and lower order batsmen some time at the crease.

With a Central side “pretty much” at full strength, Wells said he now had the  “headache” of choosing who to leave out of the team that will go up against North on Saturday.

Wells said the preliminary final would come down the team that batted the best.

“We’ll just go into that game with our best side and hope we have the side to knock them off.”