Lithgow skipper Ben Sheehan is under no illusions, as a clash that looks likely to make or break the Lightning's finals hopes Friday night's Royal Hotel Cup showdown with Bathurst City shapes as the side's defining moment.
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With a win the Lightning would prove they can match it with the 2019-20 heavyweights and the momentum and confidence that would come from that would be immeasurable, of course it would keep those hopes of a semi-final berth alive too.
In fact, arguably, it would put them in the box seat to secure a spot in the final four, the Lightning's final game of the preliminary stage is against Centennials Bulls, a side most would expect them to knock off based on the summer so far.
I still think we can do it. We've just got to play smart cricket.
- Lithgow captain Ben Sheehan
Where the Lightning have been forced into a do-or-die situation Redbacks are undefeated and can book their top four tickets on Friday night, but that's not to say Sheehan and his side have been disgraced, far from it.
Although history is leaning towards a score of 160 plus being par on the hard, flat Wade Park wicket the Lightning are still one of just four sides to have done that this summer, and they've done eclipsed that mark both times they've fronted.
They easily accounted for Kinross first-up and were then bested by a rampant Orange City top order that went ballistic to successfully chase 164 for victory and do so with almost four overs to spare, the Warriors defied Sheehan's remarkable ton in the latter game too.
"It was the best I've ever batted," Sheehan said, ranking the ton as a career highlight beaten only by playing on the SCG.
"I thought that 163 was something we could defend, but (Orange City's) top four were red hot.
"I can't take anything away from them, they played really well. We've won one, lost one now and we've got two tough games coming up.
"It's a tough road, but I still think we can do it. We've just got to play smart cricket."
The Lightning face Bathurst City from 6.30pm on Friday night.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
