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Belmont probably need to win at least one of their remaining two matches to ensure they qualify for the Newcastle District Cricket Association semi-finals.
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Club skipper Marcus Hainsworth knows what he'd prefer.
The wicketkeeper-batsman wants to wrap up Belmont's top-four spot sooner rather than later and avoid any kind of sudden-death encounter in the last round.
"We have to win at least one of our last two to get in," Hainsworth said.
"I'd rather win this one than be going into the last one knowing we have to 100 percent win to make it. It's very tight."
Belmont (44) sit second on a congested first-grade ladder, where only seven points separate them and seventh, before meeting University (24) at Cahill Oval this Saturday and next.
Bailey Newell comes in for the unavailable Richard Moolman while Joey Gillard plays day one before attending the Under-16 Cricket NSW State Challenge in Orange. Flynn Guest is Belmont's replacement on day two.
Elsewhere in round 12 and City (37) face Waratah-Mayfield (25) in a replay of last weekend's T20 Summer Bash final at Waratah Oval, Merewether (38) host frontrunners Wests (59) at Townson Oval, Wallsend (39) are at home to Hamilton-Wickham (41), Stockton (40) welcome Toronto (26) to Lynn Oval while Charlestown (31) visit Cardiff-Boolaroo (9).
Play starts an hour earlier at 10am on both days.
IN THE NEWS:
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
