Most cricket experts reckon that if your team wins the toss you should bat first 99.9 percent of the time.
Penrith took the opposite course when they hosted the Campbelltown Camden Ghosts on the first day’s play of the round 13 match.
Winning the toss, the home team had no hesitation in inviting the Ghosts to have first use of the wicket at Howell Oval, Penrith last Saturday morning.
The Ghosts said “thank you very much’’ and proceeded to score almost 300 runs by the end of the day.
Considering the Macarthur side have had the batting wobbles of late, this was quite an impressive turnaround.
The Ghosts finished the day at 9 for 293 having faced 96 overs.
The standout performer was young Jackson Isakka, who remained unbeaten on 73.
Batting at six, Isakka, pictured above, faced just 111 balls for his 73 runs, hitting 10 boundaries during his stay at the crease.
But in what was a more steely effort from the Ghosts, Harry Swindells also made a half century, reaching 51 before being dismissed.
There were also good contributions from Nathan Glynn, who made 42, allrounder Ben Patterson (41) batting at seven – where he probably should have been earlier in the season.
Patterson enjoyed a 64 run partnership with Isakka.
Jaydyn Simmons (35) was another one who contributed to the Ghosts total, tantalisingly close to 300 for the first time in a while.
And while the tail didn’t actually wag, there was just one zero score among the lower order batsmen, a massive improvement from recent outings.
Opener Aaron Yabsley was the first to go, caught after making 14, while Phil Wells made just seven after coming in at first drop.
The Ghosts will now aim to restrict the home side to 200 or under so they can have a go at an outright victory and vital premiership points.
There’s every chance they will be throwing the ball early to one Ben Patterson when play resumes next Saturday.
Having made some runs, the talented Patterson could just be the man to take a big haul of wickets and set the Ghosts on their way to victory.
