Cup drought will only serve as motivation for Ross County
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Chris Blake insists there is no pressure on Ross County Cricket Club to end a 21-year wait to lift the Nosca Senior Cup.
The Strathpeffer club already have some silverware to their name this season, having won the T20 Cup, and they will be running that match back when the same opponents, Forres, come calling to Castle Leod tomorrow.
That had looked like it could be the first part of a hat trick of trophies for Ross County this season.
However, after a disappointing defeat to title rivals in the league Northern Counties last time out, it seems more likely that Ross County are aiming for a double instead.
Rather than baulking at the high stakes that come with a cup final, though, Blake hopes County will rise to the occasion and give the best possible account of themselves.
“It certainly has been a long time since we won the cup, so we’re right up for it, there’s no shortage of motivation,” he explained.
“There’s no pressure, we’re pretty easy going.
“We will just take it as it comes, we’re not putting any pressure on ourselves.
“We’re going to enjoy it, and hopefully we can take our catches and bowl as well as we normally can.
“If we apply ourselves with the bat, then it will be fine.”
County can already boast league and T20 Cup victories over Forres, and with home advantage tomorrow they may feel like they go into the encounter as favourites.
“We’ve beaten Forres in the league this year, and we’ve beaten them in the T20 Cup as well,” Blake said.
“We’ll be hoping to do the hat trick.
“Forres are always a good side, they will be looking for revenge.
“It’s just going to come down to who applies themselves on the day.”
The weather could yet scupper plans for the match after a wet week, but all involved will be hoping for a window of opportunity.
“It’s strange, at our ground we get very localised weather,” Blake added.
“Because we’ve got the artificial wicket, we play when a lot of clubs who play on grass wouldn’t even entertain the thought of playing.
“That certainly goes for our match last Saturday, so we can play on if conditions aren’t absolutely perfect.
“We’re just hoping for a break in the weather, a gap in the window, that will let us get the game in.”
