BURN BABY BURN

Burndennett captain Andy Barr hopes his side's surprise victory over high-flying Bonds Glen in the Sammy Jeffrey Shield can provide the catalyst for a much-needed turnaround in their season.

The Championship side produced one of the shocks of the weekend by knocking out one of the competition favourites to book a place in the semi-finals, rewarding a performance built on determination, discipline and a fighting spirit that Barr believes had been missing at times this year.

"It was a great game," said Barr. "For the first time this year every person on the team fought for every ball. Everyone contributed and that was probably the biggest difference."

Against opponents enjoying an excellent campaign, Burndennett knew they would have to be at their very best. Their bowlers set the tone with an outstanding display, restricting a powerful Bonds Glen batting line-up and keeping the pressure on throughout.

"The bowlers were in great form, especially Ryan (Barr) and Usman Azhar," Barr added. "They were outstanding and gave us a real platform in the game."

The captain then played his own part with the bat alongside Ryan as Burndennett dug deep to get over the line.

"Ryan and I had to work hard because Bonds Glen's bowlers were bowling very tight. We had to be patient and make sure we stayed in the game."

It has been a difficult season so far for Burndennett, who have struggled to build momentum in the Championship. Injuries and availability issues have prevented the club from fielding a settled side, making consistency difficult to achieve.

"The season hasn't been great for us," admitted Barr. "It's been hard to get the same team out every week because of injuries. It's especially difficult when you're missing opening bowlers or opening batsmen."

However, the skipper believes the victory could be a turning point as they look to climb the table during the second half of the campaign.

"Hopefully now, after that big win at the weekend, we can keep the same attitude and start winning games in the league," he said.

A place in the Sammy Jeffrey Shield semi-finals has already given Burndennett something to celebrate. If they can carry that belief into the weeks ahead, the season may yet have plenty more twists to come.