Merrivale is eager to turn its form around to save its finals hopes

The first task on the Tigers' do-to list is a win over two-time reigning champions Russells Creek in their opening two-day fixture of the 2019-20 Warrnambool and District Cricket Association division one season.

Stapleton's side set the Creekers a target of 154 following their first innings dig which saw in-form young batsman Theo Opperman record his first half-century of the summer.

Creek enter the second day at 2-24 after the quick wickets of Thomas Dark and Jordan Fish. Captain Cameron Williams (four not out) and Rukshan Weerasinghe (11 not out) are at the crease.

"The two wickets helped us a lot really," Stapleton said of last weekend's scoreboard at stumps.

"We mentioned that there are two key partnerships coming up and one is at crease already and then Jimmy (Elford).

"They are big wickets and if we can stamp them early we will be halfway to getting the job done."

But the Tigers will again be without experienced batsman and co-coach Jeremy Burgess, who had a large hematoma he got from dropping a bin on his leg drained on Thursday.

Stapleton said he was unsure when Burgess would be back in the side.

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Saturday is shaping up as an important stepping stone for the Tigers with Stapleton hoping it could be the week his side starts turning its form around.

"We will start it by bowling and fielding well this week and knock Creek off and see what happens with the twenty20s," he said.

"They can go either way and one bloke can get away. Hopefully we can punch a few wins in that and can start chopping a few spots above us on the ladder."

The Tigers currently sit in eighth with 15 points to their name from the opening nine rounds. Their points have come from one win and three abandoned games that resulted in draws.

Despite the slow start, Stapleton hasn't ruled out his side's chances of making a late surge for the top four in the second half of the season.

"We would need to do well to make finals but you never know what happens and we would never count ourselves out," he said.

"Our start has put us on the back foot and it's not like we are going to play like that all the time.

"Every time we go out we want to play our best cricket."

Stapleton highlighted his side's batting as an area it has let itself down in the opening games of the season.

"Batting has let us down at start and we are staring to find form with the stick as we probably have not had enough runs on the board," he said.

"Our bowling and fielding we back ourselves and lately we have been doing well but there has not been enough runs.

"We will look to kick into gear and build some good steam for the rest of year because we like two-day cricket."

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