Westbury Shamrocks batsman Dane Anderson drives on the first day of play against South Launceston at NTCA No. 2 Ground last weekend.
NTCA STATE OF PLAY
WESTBURY V SOUTH LAUNCESTON: Westbury 1st innings 255. South Launceston resuming 4-40).
MOWBRAY V RIVERSIDE: Riverside 1st innings 87, 2nd innings resuming 1-16. Mowbray 1st innings 129.
LAUNCESTON V GEORGE TOWN: Launceston 1st innings 86. George Town resuming 5-200.
DESPITE sitting on top of the NTCA ladder and well placed for outright victory over South Launceston, there is still some work to do for Westbury, according to coach Adrian Tudor.
``We're reasonably happy with the way the game has gone so far but we have some other things to address ahead of the finals,'' Tudor said.
South Launceston resumes the chase of Westbury's first innings 255 at Shaw's Oval tomorrow with Tom Waller and Cody Weedon the not out batsmen.
South Launceston struggled to 4-40 in the closing hour of play last week and the Shamrocks will again be looking towards Jonathon Chapman and Mitch Spencer to continue their good work with the ball.
``Our first aim is to bowl South Launceston out,'' Tudor said.
Westbury is assured of finishing on top of the ladder when the NTCA roster season ends on March 2 although Tudor said there were still a few points the team needed to iron out ahead of the finals.
``We need to put it all together for the finals,'' he said.
While Tudor said it had been a satisfying roster season the club was still disappointed to be knocked out of the Greater Northern competition and then to lose the Twenty20 final.
MOWBRAY will push for early wickets when the game against Riverside resumes at Riverside Park.
``We're pretty comfortable where we're placed at the moment and obviously we don't want to chase too many runs,'' Mowbray captain Clinton Reid said.
Mowbray claimed first innings points last week after dismissing Riverside for 87 and then going on to make 129.
In a war of attrition 21 wickets fell on the opening day but Reid defended the Riverside wicket.
``It was a pretty fair wicket and I just thought both sides bowled really well,'' he said.
Mowbray led the first innings by 42 runs and Riverside in its second innings has already lost the wicket of Cameron Clarke and will resume at 1-16 with Tom Hay and Aaron Campbell the not out batsmen.
Reid said he would look towards his bowlers Justin Reeves, Rick Considine, Jerome Illingworth and James Storay to keep up the good work tomorrow.
By taking the first innings points and the possibility of an outright result it will keep Mowbray in second place on the ladder.
``We play Westbury in the last game but at this stage I don't think South Launceston can catch us,'' he said.
In-form GEORGE TOWN batsman Liam Johnson will resume on 74 tomorrow in pursuit of his first century of the 2012-13 season.
George Town is in total control of the game against Launceston at the NTCA Ground dismissing the Blues for 86 and then going on to be 5-200 at stumps overnight.
Joining Johnson at the crease is Adam Davie and they have already put on 36 for the sixth wicket.
George Town is firmly entrenched in fourth place on the ladder and next week plays fifth-placed Riverside ahead of the finals.
