After their commanding first day at the crease against Ex-Services, Guyra couldn’t manage to finish off their opponents when the second day of the round three clash rolled around.
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Guyra declared at 8-301 and then had Servies at 6-23 by the end of the day.
The second day saw Servies “dig in” and end their first innings on 118.
Matt Jackson returned as skipper for the second day and made the risky decision to send Ex-Services straight back in to bat.
He conceded it probably was the wrong choice.
“In hindsight, I wish we had a bat and made them go out and field for 10-15 overs,” Jackson said.
“I thought that would have been extremely disheartening if they had to pull the whites on while they were still behind by 200 runs.
“I figured we had the runs on the board and try and get the wickets.
“But we couldn't get the wickets.”
Jackson admitted he might have to hand the captaincy back to last week’s stand-in, Jason Campbell.
“I will have to hand the reins back to Bubby [Campbell] this week – he seems to do a better job than me,” he said.
“I should have stayed in retirement.
“They were doing a good job until I came back.”
Jokes aside, Jackson commended Ex-Services for their determined performance on Saturday.
“They did dig in with the bat and toughed it out but it was one of those frustrating days where everything seemed to be a metre either side of us,” he said.
“Nothing went to hand, I don't think we had any dropped catches either but we just weren't in the position to get the catches.
“Our boys did well, they toughed it out all day and to Servies' credit they didn't throw in the towel, they did tough out the day.”
The competition heads into the one-day matches this Saturday with Guyra at home to City who have had mixed results from their opening two games.
The City side is led by Guyra local Kyle Taylor.
“It is pretty funny, I think a lot of our boys are pretty pumped up for the chance to have a go at Kyle,” Jackson said.
“It was a pretty commonly-discussed thing last Saturday after the game, we were talking about the game ahead, and everyone is looking forward to the match up with Kyle.
“They all want to let him know where he came from.
“I think he is the only one out of our original crew that is still playing in Armidale that didn't come back.
“Something for us to get into him about.”
Jake Ellis returns this week after missing Saturday and Mitch Woods is available after missing the entire Servies game.
Jackson is expecting a tough match-up with City feeling confident about their coming season.
“A few of the City boys were spruiking about how they were the best team in the comp so we will see how they will go this weekend because I still believe Easts are the team to beat,” he said.
“As I said, I still think Easts are the number one team in the comp but I suppose confidence is key.”
But Jackson believes he has the players to combat them.
“They won't know what's hit them this year because Tyson Burey and I are no longer bowlers, we are batsmen,” he said.
“We can't get any wickets so we have decided we are going to be batsmen instead.
“He's [Burey] averaging 60 he keeps telling me.”