AN UNDER siege Nestles is fighting to keep its finals aspirations alive after a Nick Robertson hat-trick cast doubt over its top-four dreams.
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Nestles dismissed Nirranda for just 85 runs on Saturday and was cruising at 3-40 until the 17-year-old’s last-over heroics left a stunned Factory six wickets down at stumps.
Formerly a spinner, Robertson switched to pace after frustration with leg-break bowling at a junior country week carnival earlier this summer.
The Emmanuel College student said the change had rejuvenated his career.
“I managed to get six wickets in my first proper spell of pace at country week and I’ve just sort of reinvented myself as a pace bowler since then,” Robertson said.
“If I didn’t get those six (at country week), I’d probably still be bowling spin.
“I’ve fancied myself more as a pace bowler but (coaches) have liked my spin more in the past.”
Robertson said his side – currently third bottom – was hunting an upset victory after the hat-trick swung momentum in its favour.
“We’re in a good spot and we’re just up and about now,” he said.
Nestles is just 2.125 points adrift of a top-four berth but faces an uphill battle to make finals if it fails to defeat Nirranda.
Injured Factory skipper Geoff Williams lamented his team’s “lack of application” with the bat.
“We’re disappointed to bowl them out for 85 and to not have taken our chances,” he said.
“We’ve still got Eldo (Brett Eldridge) and Jacob Hetherington in but we need another 40 runs to get the six points we need at this point in time.”