Skipper hopeful of turnaround

Brothers captain Richie Pershouse predicts Brothers Josh Sinnamon won’t get a soaking this week.

CHRIS ISON

WHEN it comes to predictions, then Brothers Southside captain Richie Pershouse is the “go to” man.

With a cyclone bearing down on the Queensland coast and preparations being made in communities in the central and northern parts of the state, Pershouse remained unconcerned about the effects on his team’s Southern Star Sports Shield match against Gracemere.

“It won’t rain,” he said with confidence.

However, if Brothers play the way it did in its first turn at bat against the same opposition last time, then Pershouse will be hoping for rain and lots of it.

Chasing a modest Gracemere total, the Brothers top order disintegrated and the side was all out for 64.

Pershouse admitted it was a poor effort on his team’s part, but said the conditions did not assist the batsmen.

“It was a ridiculous effort,” he conceded.

“But it was a bit late in the day and going dark.”

Pershouse said he was one of three players who was bowled without playing a shot as Gracemere paceman Ben Milne destroyed the cream of the Brothers batting line-up.

“Take nothing away from him but we just could not see it (the ball),” Pershouse said.

Pershouse said he could not even say for sure whether Milne was getting any movement off the pitch as he totally lost the track of the ball.

Brothers did gain a little bit of revenge when it batted in the second innings as Milne was unable to take a wicket and Murray Harch, in particular, took to the youngsters bowling.

Brothers chances of making the final next weekend against Frenchville have been boosted by the news that Dylan Bibby has returned from Brisbane.

Bibby was in tremendous form before he left for university and is capable of getting runs on the board quickly.

The youngster is also useful medium pace bowler and athletic in the field.

So what are the strengths of Gracemere?

The Pershouse response was in just two words “Aaron Harmsworth”.

Admittedly Harmsworth is in match-winning form and has been the outstanding batsman of the 2010 competition but there are others in the Gracemere line-up who can do a job.

Nevertheless, this one promises to be one of the closest matches of the season and a lot will depend on the opening batsmen who will be relied on to see some of the shine off the new ball.

Josh Sinnamon did that in both innings during the last match with Gracemere, but will be keen to go on with the job.

In both knocks, Sinnamon did the hard work but got out after making a start.

Play at Rockhampton Cricket Ground continues tomorrow.