RICHARD Trotman has called for more urgency from his Thornbury side ahead of their visit to Trowbridge on Saturday.
They lost by 46 runs to Knowle last weekend despite reducing their visitors to 68-6 at one stage, and now look in a precarious position in the bottom two of the league.
Fears of relegation and dropping down to the same league as their old rivals Rockhampton now face Thornbury but skipper Trotman said his side don’t seem to be feeling the pressure at the moment – which he believes is the root of their problem.
“That’s the problem there is no sign of panic,” he said.
“I do not think they look at the league tables, that’s the message we’re trying to get across to them.
“Relegation this year would be pretty devastating to the club. We have a rivalry with Rockhampton and if we went down we would be in the same league as them.
“We need to pull our fingers out. It’s very much a team effort to get out of it.”
The key moment on Saturday came when Knowle batsman Majid Tara was dropped early on in the innings before going on to make 68 and sharing a seventh wicket stand of 74 with Nick Clark.
That lifted them to 205-9 but Thornbury looked good when opening batsman Kyp Bridgen scored 58, sharing a partnership of 81 with Trotman (34).
However, Clark went about the Thornbury batsman by claiming 6-40, and the home side capitulated to 159 all out.
“We let them off the hook with the drop catch. It cost us the game.” Trotman said.
Thornbury will be looking to repeat their eight-wicket demolition of Trowbridge from earlier in the season when they meet on Saturday.
And Trotman believes the wicket of their West Indian danger man Assad Fudadin will be the key to the game.
He said: “They very much rely on one player. Their whole team hangs on his batting.
“If we get him out for less than 50 we have a chance for getting them out for less than 150.
Batsman Simon Hinks should return from injury but Jon Wormwell is on holiday. Trotman will play as a batsman only as he has torn his rib muscles.
On Sunday Thornbury meet Bedminster in the final of the Bristol & District 20-over Knockout Cup.
“It would be nice if we can put some silverware in the cabinet,” said Trotman.
“It’s more important to the other lads coming up from junior cricket and to experience an adult cup final is good for them. There will be a bit more intensity, and a bit more pressure.”
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