MERBEIN have already seen an improvement in their batting, but they believe it can be even better.
The Magpies posted 9/203 in their dig against Irymple in Sunraysia Cricket last week, marking the third time they have passed the double century this campaign compared to just once in the 2021/22 season.
Club president and First XI opening batsman Carlo Longeri admitted they could have pushed on for an extra 30 or 40 runs but was happy with how the team dealt with a strong Swallows attack.
Eight of Merbein’s top nine batsmen reached double figures, Hamim Miah leading the way once again with 41 and well supported by Tony Trinick (28), Brady Moore (25) and Longeri (22).
“It was great for so many players to get starts, but our challenge now is turning those starts into something more substantial,” Longeri said.
“Even personally I’m getting a bit frustrated at not being able to go on with my innings.
“We felt we had enough wickets in hand to push on a bit more but to have at least 200 is a good start.”
Longeri said a lot of improvement had come from batting coaching from Brad Martin at training who had “switched things up” in the way they practiced.
“We might be batting a certain way for a period of time, then pick up pace for more deliveries, and then change how we attack again – really working on replicating a game,” he said.
“Batting in partnerships is going to be so important, and especially with such a young group the onus is some more of us older players to lead the way.
“We only scored past 200 once last season and we’ve already done it three times this season with three games to go, so it’s definitely been an improvement.”
Longeri said Miah’s return to form, having scored 229 runs for the season including three half-centuries, has been welcomed in the middle order.
“I challenged him at the start of the year to see if he could get back to the form he showed when he first came to the club,” he said.
“He’s played really well, but even for him, if he can convert these 40s and 50s into hundreds, we could be defending 300 rather than 200.”
Longeri is under no illusions that a tough Irymple batting order awaits his side on Saturday and early wickets will be vital.
