Epping’s bowlers again stood tall to get the Pingers an important win in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association Barclay Shield.
With just 12 points separating first and ninth after 12 matches every match is vital in the run home.
On Saturday, the Pingers were able to get the job done against Macleod.
“It was an important day,” president Daniel Bramich said.
“It’s a strangely tight season with twists and turns at every corner.
“One win keeps you out of the relegation battle with the bottom three teams to be relegated and it also sees you in finals contention.
“We have to keep on winning.”
The Pingers made 176 on day one of its clash. Macleod resumed at 1-22.
Bramich said while they would have liked more runs on the board, they were still pretty confident.
“We thought we left some runs out there having not batted out our overs,” he said.
“Look through previous games and Macleod’s batting, it was in the ballpark and might have been enough.
“Our batting has not clicked yet and had that big score.
“We had to be patient with the ball and hope we had a good bowling day and figures crossed to get the result.”
Bramich said it was a sneakily hot day.
They were able to bowl Macleod out for 131.
Bramich said Robert Tinsley, who took four wickets, was able to finally get some reward for effort with the ball.
He said all the bowling attack bowled well in a really even performance.
The Pingers sit in fourth spot, six points off top and six points above the relegation zone.
Bramich said they were hoping their batting would click for the remainder of the season.
“Tom Emmins has been the standout for us,” he said.
“We have two games left and hope we can click in the top five or six and boost a big score.
“We know we can defend totals and keep teams under certain totals.”
The Pingers are back in action on Tuesday night in the finals of the summer smash competition.
The Pingers will face North Eltham Wanderers, who they also face in a two-dayer the next two Saturdays.
“You went to get the win there,” Bramich said. “At the start you enter a side with a few younger players.
“You gain momentum and then take it into the Saturday stuff.”
Elsewhere, Bundoora United beat Riverside, while Bundoora lost to the Wanderers.a
