Ex-Services captain John Elliot last week highlighted his side’s bowling attack as “an area we can improve” as they prepared to take on Hillgrove for Saturday’s round four game.
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They delivered.
“We did exactly what I said we needed to do which was bowl better,” Elliot said.
“Our bowling set up that victory. It was started by Dan Hogan again, picking up another four and other bowlers around him backed him up.”
Hogan finished with with 4-27 while Elliot, Jose McDonald and Brad ‘the wicket-whisperer’ Widders claimed two each to bowl Hillgrove out for 104.
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“We bowled well in partnerships and we fielded pretty well which contained Hillgrove to a pretty reasonable score,” Elliot said.
“It would have been pretty deflating not to get the win after how well we bowled.”
It took two wickets to get the Servies batsmen into gear with the young three and four partnership of Benji Marshall and Jose McDonald scoring 27 and 28.
The rest of the Servies batting line-up didn’t score a huge amount of runs, Hillgrove gifted them 22 wides, but it was enough to get the win.
“Benji and Jose McDonald stood up with the bat, I just think we made it a little bit harder for ourselves than what it should have been but at the end of the day it was still good to get that win,” Elliot said.
The week prior it was the Servies batsmen who prevented an outright while the Hillgrove game contrasted with the bowlers taking control.
Elliot believes if they can put both elements together, they will be a force to be reckoned with.
“We have to look to build on our innings from two weeks ago with the bat,” he said.
“As far as with the ball, if we can try to back up what we did with the ball more times than not I think we will put ourselves in good stead.
“If we can put both of them together on any given day I think we could beat anyone in the comp.
“It is just a matter of us having the self-belief.”
Elliot said camaraderie is building among the team.
“There is a really good vibe within the side at the moment, more so than last year,” he said.
“We have played a lot of cricket together now and it is just second nature to us. I am pretty happy with the boys.
“It is good to see a couple of new recruits enjoying their cricket too, like Dan Hogan - he has been bowling outstanding.
“It is just simply from enjoying his cricket.”
