THE scenarios are endless for second-placed Brierly-Christ Church.
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Beat Woodford on Saturday, secure second-place and the choice of a ground for a semi-final clash with either Russells Creek or Port Fairy.
Lose to the Eels, potentially slip to fourth and play Woodford again for a spot in the Warrnambool and District Cricket decider.
They could still end up third, too. A win for Russells Creek, a loss for Port Fairy and a loss to the Bulls would mean a third-place finish is all but certain.
Despite the outside noise, Brierly-Christ Church skipper Matthew Love is keeping it simple.
Being our second two-day game for the season we'll have to be super disciplined in the field, bowl tight lines and lengths and build pressure.
- Matthew Love
"I think has to be kind of back to the old school saying, you just focus on what is in front of you," he said.
"As boring as that might sound, we've got to approach it in that way. We can't look too far ahead because it's that kind of season where anybody can beat anybody.
"I think that's maybe something we found out earlier in the season and we know we have to take each game as it comes. We have to start by putting our best foot forward for the next two weeks."
Love said playing Woodford - the ladder leader which already has two short-form premierships to its name this season - was the ideal preparation for a finals campaign.
"It's nice playing a top side leading into finals," he said.
"It means we'll be nice and sharp. Being our second two-day game for the season we'll have to be super disciplined in the field, bowl tight lines and lengths and build pressure.
"That'll be our mantra going into finals. With the bat it's about building partnerships and getting into good form."
Love said the Bulls, who endured a patch of inconsistency earlier in the season, were stronger for it.
"In a way, it was a good thing we sort of battled our way through it," he said.
"As we've approached finals we're building a confidence. All season, we're continually getting better.
"We've had a couple of inclusions on last season with old man 'Munge' (Jason Mungean) retiring but we feel like we're starting to gel a lot more."
Brierly-Christ Church will enter the last-round clash injury-free.
"That's what you want, to be entering it in tip-top shape," Love said.
"Woodford are a quality side and they don't have too many weaknesses.
"You just have to be on your game for 80 overs and you can't take your foot off the pedal."
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Nick Ansell
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
Nick Ansell is a sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard.
