The Beavers are 5-5 and seventh on the ladder heading into their first two-day game against Merrivale. McCosh believes former captain Joe Higgins has shown enough in the short-form versions of the game in the early part of the season to indicate bigger things lay ahead.

"The last couple of years we have focused more on improving Joe’s batting at training and he plays a great role with both bat and ball, but this year its more his batting," McCosh said. 

"We have just been working on that area and getting more balls in the nets and it is coming along in droves. “He has always had the ability as an attacking batsman and has a range of shots, which keeps the opposition on their toes.

“It just comes naturally to him and he tries to score all of the time with his positivity.

“It makes it a lot easier for the guys that are batting with him at the other end just to keep working it around and build the partnership.

“Higgo is one of those guys that would just put his hand up and do whatever is best for the team, he is just a team-focused individual. In the Twenty20s and one-dayers, he has sort of floated between opening and three then batted as low as five or six.

“He is very adaptable to whatever role we have for him each week and I am sure he is going to be adaptable for the two-dayers.”

McCosh said despite the longer format, he would be encouraging Higgins to continue to attack the bowling and play his natural game. 

"You have to play to your strengths and I am not going to ask him to not play his way,” McCosh said. 

“Obviously the game changes a little bit but you have to play to your game."