Campbelltown Camden District Cricket Club have a massive task ahead of them if they are to snatch their first win of the season.
The Ghosts will have to score almost 400 when play resumes this Saturday in the two day away match against Parramatta.
Last season the Ghosts showed they can chase big totals, but they had Ollie Pope batting at number four and keeping wickets.
The Englishman returned to the Old Dart to gain Test selection for England in the series with India.
Pope, who played two Test matches, would have made all the difference if he was still with the Ghosts, but he’s not, so they will have to do it without his brilliant batting.
One key player still wearing the Ghosts cap is their legendary skipper, Jarrad Burke, a man who rarely takes a backward step.
In windy conditions at Old Kings Parramatta last Saturday, Burke won the toss and had no hesitation in sending his opponents into bat.
Burke’s aggressive move paid off immediately as the Ghosts celebrated two early Luke Webb wickets.
However, like all good cricket wickets it soon flattened out into a nice batting track for the remainder of the Parramatta order and it was raining runs until the home side declared their innings at 7/383.
NSW batsman Nick Bertus was clinical in his innings for Parramatta and was rewarded with a chanceless 140 runs/
He was joined at the crease by his middle order partner Trent Crittenden, who also posted a century.
As the total grew the Ghosts bowlers tried everything but it didn’t have an impact on a wicket that had flattened out.
Luke Webb finished the day as the pick of the Ghosts after taking three scalps that cost him just 50 runs.
Sam Skelly bowled well without luck, while Burke was his usual economical self, finishing with 1-73 off 25 overs of left arm orthodox spin.
By the declaration, Burke had tried everything using eight bowlers on a day that didn’t start well with keeper Mitch Carruthers injuring himself in the warm up and watching the round two match from the stands.
The Ghosts are 0-12 in reply and head back to Old Kings next week knowing that if the conditions are the same as day one the Parramatta total is achievable on the fast Old Kings outfield and batting friendly wicket.
