Wests prepared for must-win clash as Cricket Illawarra Twenty20 competition heats up

The Devils find themselves in a logjam at the top of Pool B, two points behind leaders Port Kembla and level on points with second-placed Keira. Two points further back are Dapto, while the Lighthouse Keepers are out of contention in fifth.

With Port Kembla and Keira facing off on Saturday, Wests only need a win over Wollongong to guarantee a place in next month's finals.

"It's a must-win, so we're looking forward to this game," Churchill said. "The pressure won't get to us, we're a switched on team, it's just about executing a plan.

"Last week was a bit chalk and cheese. We played poorly in the first game but really well in the second game so hopefully we can replicate that performance we had against Keira."

The Devils were able to put their feet up during Wednesday night's round of Twenty20 fixtures, with Helensburgh forfeiting prior to the match going ahead.

Wednesday also saw Port Kembla defeat Wollongong and Dapto tie with Keira in a thrilling affair.

Wollongong captain Duncan Maddinson was disappointed with his team's performance against the Blacks and said they're determined to spoil Wests' semi-final hopes this weekend.

"It was definitely disappointing," Maddinson said. "We had a bit of an off night with both bat and ball and Port Kembla were too good.

"Defending our Twenty20 title was a goal for us, so it's disappointing we won't be playing finals.

"The blokes are disappointed with their individual performances on Wednesday as well as the team performance, so everyone is keen to bounce back and get back to our winning ways."

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The captains have identified bowling as a crucial aspect of Saturday's game, with Churchill eager to avoid a repeat of last Saturday's loss to Port Kembla, in which the Blacks chased down 150.

With Udara Jayasundara currently playing in the Sri Lankan domestic limited overs competition, Churchill said it's vital the remainder of his bowlers stand up.

"That first powerplay is crucial," Churchill said. "If you snag three or four wickets in the powerplay, you don't lose too many games. It's really important we push for wickets in that period.

"If we don't get a couple of early wickets, we can drop our heads. If we can not let it get to that point, stay upbeat and energetic, we'll be able to take consistent wickets.

"We have guys who can take wickets, we've just got to put it together for the whole innings."

While Pool B's finalists remain up in the air, University and Northern Districts have already secured the top two spots in Pool A.

Uni's match does have finals implications, however, with the side taking on Dapto in the crossover game. The Canaries can finish in the top two with a win and other results falling in their favour.

Finally, Northern Districts will play Corrimal and Helensburgh will host Balgownie.

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