Sitting in fourth on the ladder the team need a win facing the top of the ladder Cobram. Otherwise they’re relying on Tocumwal to beat Katamatite to make finals.
The Rhinos won the toss and elected to bat.
Openers Griegan French and Charlie Paton went out to face Cobram’s bowling.
Both players saw off the opening overs before French was out pulling a loose ball from Jeremy Baden hitting it cleanly but for a low catch picking out deep backward square leg for five.
Harry Hillier returning for the must win clash joined Paton in the middle.
The pair saw off some difficult Cobram bowling and rode their luck before Adam Decicco went to a faster paced short ball which hurried Hillier’s trademark pull shot.
He was caught by the wicket keeper Dan Ellis for 12.
Paton continued with Charlie Hillier coming in at four.
Hillier was looking solid before he was brought unstuck cutting to the slips caught off a parry by Darcy Pridham-McCormack off the bowling of Jimmy Daniel.
Aiming to bat long and make a solid score Andrew Hogan came into bat.
Set batter Paton had a good job as opener and was looking to capitalise on his hard work with a cover drive off Tyron Baden but was out caught at short cover by Jeremy Baden for 29.
Brad Todd joined Hogan at the crease with the pair playing smart cricket frustrating the Cobram bowlers getting to afternoon tea.
After the break Cobram tried to create a few chances and eventually had Brad Todd caught by Pridham-McComarck off the bowling of Decicco.
Boddie Arthur was next in and continued frustrating the Cobram bowling and turning over the strike.
After a fairly long stint Arthur was removed for seven by the Baden brothers, bowled Tyrone, caught Jeremy, looking to put away a loose ball but not getting all of it.
In-form with the bat Lachlan Holloway came to the crease picking up the run-rate looking to free his arms when he got the chance with Hogan steadying the innings down the other end.
Holloway’s attacking knock was brought to an end by Decicco who got an edge that was sharply caught one-handed by keeper Ellis.
This brought the like-minded experience of Anthony Bradley together with Hogan as the pair hit the Cobram bowling all around the ground.
They took the singles and twos that were available putting on an end of innings batting clinic.
After making sure of batting out the 80 overs the pair went on the attack.
Bradley hit two consecutive lookalike sixes off the third and fourth ball of the final over of the day bowled by Jeremy Baden getting under them and hitting them out of the ground through mid-wicket.
There at the end unbeaten Hogan top-scored finishing with 79 not out off 164 balls with six fours while Bradley hit 37 not out including the two sixes at the end.
This took the Rhinos to a formidable score of 7/209 from their 80 overs.
The Rhinos will try and defend this total next week to make finals otherwise need Tocumwal to beat Katamatite.
This result is also up in the air with Tocumwal defending 163 and in reply Katamatite are 2/34 after the first day.
32°C