Chasemore puts Hawks on notice

Matt Chasemore has put the pressure on to Hallam. Picture: ROB CAREW

By Nick Creely

The scenario for Berwick is as simple as it sounds, win against Hallam Kalora Park on Saturday and finals become likely, or lose, and you’re out.

With just one round left to play after this weekend, and it being a one dayer against Narre Warren, the Bears wouldn’t be able to run down the Hawks’ eight point gap from fourth to fifth if they lose, despite going into the season as one of the highly fancied teams.

The Hawks resume play tomorrow 0/13, in pursuit of Berwick’s first innings total of 163, in what will be the most important and tense day in the context of the DDCA Turf 1 season.

But star all-rounder Matthew Chasemore isn’t at all worried, piling the pressure on the Hawks to withstand their quality bowling line up and not falter under pressure.

“If you’re going to pick a bowling attack in the league to bowl a team out, I’d be picking ours; it’s a pretty good team and we cover a fair few bases,” he said.

“I’d imagine Goodsey (Jarrod Goodes) and I will do a fair chunk of bowling on the weekend, and we just have to hope that Wilcock and Armo (Jarrod Armitage) can have a big day.

“The wicket’s flat, it will be tough, there’s no doubt about that, but I’ve said this for 20 years, if you really want it just get the bloody job done, and your position in the game is irrelevant.

“We know what the drill is, we have 150 runs up our sleeve; everyone knows we bowl teams out for way less quite often.

“I’m not worried; we have the bowling attack to do it.”

The Hawks have no shortage of quality, with the likes of Ben Hillard (190 runs), Leigh Booth (442 runs), Jordan Hammond (123) and Jagveer Hayer (146) all capable of taking the game away from the Bears, but Chasemore wouldn’t buy into who they were bowling at, dismissing them quite quickly.

“I don’t look at MyCricket or anyone’s stats, they are just on paper, and you wipe your arse with paper,” he said.

“It’s irrelevant at the end of the day; I say to the boys all the time, if you’re trying to get Ricky Ponting out, what sort of ball will you bowl?

“I wouldn’t bowl short or wide, I’d be bowling on the top off, so that’s what we’ll take into the weekend, that’s what’s important, not stats.”

Chasemore said that the job is far from over for his side even if they can get over the line on Saturday.

“Even if we do get through this weekend, we still have to win next week too; all games are important from here on in, we may as well treat them like finals,” he said.

“It’s just cricket though, and it’s bloody hard to win premierships.”