Mudgeeraba Nerang target top-two finish & possible psychological edge in Broadbeach Robina clash

With the minor premiership seemingly out of reach, Mudgeeraba Nerang have found a new focus ahead of tomorrow’s top-of-the-table Kookaburra Cup clash with Broadbeach Robina

A TOP-two finish and possible psychological advantage in the looming Kookaburra Cup finals series have become the focus for Mudgeeraba Nerang ahead of tomorrow’s top-of-the-table battle with Broadbeach Robina.

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With the Round 15 two-dayers and Round 16 one-day fixtures all washed out, Mudgeeraba and Broadbeach will return to the field for the first time since February 1 when they shape up at Nerang RSL Oval from 12.15pm.

Mudgeeraba’s chance to make up ground on the ladder leaders disappeared amid this month’s deluge, with the Cats still holding a 16-point advantage with just a couple of two-day games left to play.

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The best the Bushmen can do is finish the season level on 93 points with the defending premiers and captain Dylan McLaughlin said that fact meant they had all but given up hope of claiming the minor premiership.

Mudgeeraba Nerang’s Howard Biddle bats against Broadbeach Robina earlier this season. Picture: Steve Holland

Instead, they will target second spot and a chance to get one over their potential grand-final opponents.

“I think it’s probably going to be tough (to finish first) but obviously we’ve got them (tomorrow) so we’ll be trying to win that one and make sure we finish in the top two,” McLaughlin said.

“Obviously we all want to finish top at the start of the year but Broadbeach has been able to win and get double bonus points in nearly all their one-dayers so about middle of the year we started to realise it was going to be pretty tough (to catch them).

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“I think they’ve been the team to beat all year so if we could try to get a win over them now - I’m not sure if that will help mentally (for finals) – it would be good. We’ll just stick to our game, we haven’t played for a few weeks so it’s about trying to do what we’ve been doing before (the rain).

Mudgeeraba Nerang captain Dylan McLaughlin. Picture: David Clark

“Obviously we haven’t played for 3-4 weeks so there’ll probably be a bit of rust but I expect that from both teams. We would’ve liked to have finished first but we’ll just worry about this weekend and trying to finish top two.”

Broadbeach’s only loss of the season came in November when Mudgeeraba prevailed by nine runs in a low-scoring one-dayer at Mermaid Waters.

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The Bushmen will be without all-rounder Marco Kroon tomorrow but will welcome back fast bowler Connor Brown from an ankle injury suffered playing for Gold Coast in last month’s Bulls Masters Country Challenge final.

ROUND 17 FIXTURES (TWO-DAY)

■ Mudgeeraba Nerang vs. Broadbeach Robina

■ Southport Labrador vs. Runaway Bay

■ Burleigh vs. Helensvale Pacific Pines

■ Alberton Ormeau vs. Queens

■ Surfers Paradise vs. Palm Beach Currumbin

Bye: Coomera Hope Island