NSW captain Ben Rohrer is praying for rain and a sporting miracle as the Blues cling to the dream of making next week’s Sheffield Shield cricket final.
NSW head into their must-win clash with South Australia starting on Thursday bottom of the ladder but remarkably still a mathematical chance of even hosting the competition decider.
Making the final will do Rohrer, with the Blues needing to beat South Australia outright in Sydney and hoping Tasmania don’t defeat Victoria outright and that Western Australia and Queensland draw.
It is the tightest competition in Sheffield Shield history and NSW could yet snatch a home final if all results go their way.
“It’s obviously nice to be still in contention at this time of the year,” Rohrer said on Wednesday.
“Five points between all six teams, so it’s been a great competition in the Shield and hopefully we get a few washouts around the country and we can nab six points and even get a home final.
“That’d be great but, looking at it, we do need the others to be draws for us to make it.
“So we’ve just got to worry about winning and hopefully that miracle comes along.”
To host the final, NSW must beat SA outright, Tasmania score first-innings points in a draw with Victoria and finally a draw between WA and Queensland.
“We know we have to win. That’s the key thing for us. If the rest of the things go for us, that’s great,” Rohrer said.
“We’ve been playing some pretty good cricket recently so we just want to focus on continuing to put our plans and processes into practice and finish the year in good style, whether it gets us to the final or not.”
After bombing out in the one day competition and with the Sydney Thunder not winning a solitary match in the Big Bash League and the Sydney Sixers failing to defend their title, this is NSW’s final chance to salvage something from a forgettable summer.
But they will be relying on an understrength line-up with Test stars Michael Clarke, Shane Watson and Mitchell Starc unavailable and Patrick Cummins injured.
Promising opener Daniel Hughes has been picked to make his first-class debut after playing four Big Bash matches for the Sydney Sixers and a one-dayer this season.
“I just want him to be confident in himself, go out there and back his ability,” Rohrer said.
“He showed in the Big Bash that he’s capable.”
