Captain Michael Alexander said the team would remain the same, but it was important it played much smarter with the bat against Wendouree in this weekend’s one-day clash.

“Conditions were really good to bat, it was self-inflicted – we just batted poorly,” Alexander said.

“We’ve just got to be doing more and getting better in those situations.”

MT CLEAR is eagerly awaiting the return of damaging batsman Curtis Townrow, who has missed the start of the BCA first grade season with a calf strain.

Townrow sustained the injury playing football during the University Games. The dynamic player will miss this weekend’s clash against Buninyong while captain Darcy Thomson conceded he was not exactly sure when the star player would be available for the first XI. 

Townrow averaged 27 runs last season, but it was his 2016-17 season that truly reflects his capability. An average of 40.9, including three centuries with a top score of 130.

Ash George, Nathan Hucker and Sam Giblett are also expected to enter the line-up soon – a major boost for the Mounties.

Meanwhile, Thomson said he was pleased with last week’s bowling display, but Thursday’s training session paid close attention to batting. Tim Griffith (unavailable) is out of the side, Les Sandwith in.

BROWN Hill recruit Nathan Clarke will play his for game this season while Fraser Hunt also comes into the side to face Naps-Sebas.

Clark will add plenty of experience while Hunt has been training with Geelong for the Victorian Premier Cricket competition.

GOLDEN Point skipper Josh White admitted it was a strange feeling in the changerooms after the reigning premier suffered its first loss in 18 months last week.

The Pointies went down to East Ballarat in a thrilling last-ball encounter, the Hawks hitting two runs off the last delivery to win.

White said there was plenty to work on after the result, but he said it was not necessarily the worst thing to suffer a loss, believing his group will learn plenty from it.

“There were a few things we took away from it,” White said.

“To get it to the last ball in the end was a good effort by the guys, but obviously there’s a few things with our fielding and bowling that we want to rectify.”

In team news, Sam Harris will take his game to Essendon this week while Riley Hucker will play seconds. Into the side comes off-spinner Nick Smith and batsman Josh Pegg ahead of its clash with Ballarat-Redan.

EAST Ballarat will be looking to keep the momentum flowing after an entertaining last-ball victory. The Hawks face a North Ballarat side searching for a better performance than the one that saw it go down to Red Caps by nine wickets.