Country Championships and Regional Bash: Team previews and players to watch
Some of the best bush cricketers in NSW will be in action at the men’s Country Championships and Regional Bash. Catch up with a preview of the teams and the players to watch.
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Some of the best bush cricketers in NSW will be in action this week when the open men’s Country Championships and Regional Bash continues in Orange.
In a revamped system, both the early stages of the T20 Regional Bash and 50-over championships will be played at the same venue over the course of a long weekend.
Central North, Greater Illawarra, Newcastle and North Coastal kicked things off last week in Pool A in Tamworth, with Greater Illawarra making the T20 final and Newcastle topping the group in the 50-over competition.
Starting on Thursday November 23, the Central Coast, Riverina, Southern Districts and Western will battle it out in Orange as part of Pool B, with all teams to play two T20 matches and three 50-over games over the course of the long weekend.
Catch up with a preview of the teams and some of players to watch below.
POOL B
Central Coast
It’ll be a case of trying to go one step further for the Central Coast, who went agonisingly close to breaking Newcastle’s stranglehold on the Country Championships during a thrilling final last season.
After setting a total of 279, Central Coast had Newcastle in trouble at 7-234, only for some late heroics from Adrian Chad getting the Hunter side over the line in the final over.
“We’ve been there and we’ve been very close, which gives us confidence,” said coach John Rainger. “But in cricket, you’re never there until you have the runs. I’ve got full confidence in the boys.”
While the nucleus of last year’s squad has returned, the team has been bolstered by the inclusion of debutants Jack Harris, Joe Hawkins, Jake Holmes and Rob Lavery who’ve been in excellent form in the local competition.
“They’ve been close the last few years,” said Rainger. “They’ve been doing well for their clubs, so that gives them a chance to play in the side.”
With a quality spin bowling triumvirate of Chris Archer, Tom Owen and Broc Hardy, the team will once again look towards its tweakers to test opposition batting lineups.
“Our spinners tend to get us through quite a few of the games,” said Rainger. “They bowl well, they keep the other team tied down and they’re experienced.”
And while the team will be looking for some explosive performances in the T20 fixtures, the coach says that they will look to temper this aggressive approach in the 50-over games.
“In the one-dayers, if you can bat your 50 overs, you’ll have a score that our side can bowl to, because our quicks and medium-pacers keep it tight,” he said. “And I’d back our fielding over any other side. They’re very agile in the field and they’ll get down to everything.”
Broc Hardy
Fresh from a century in club cricket, the skipper will lead his side at the top of the order with the bat, with the Central Coast hoping he can fire over the weekend.
“He can be very aggressive and can take a game away from a team in 10 overs,” said Rainger.
He will also contribute with some handy tweakers and his excellent fielding.
Chris Archer
The most experienced of the Central Coast’s trio of spinners, the left-armer will play a key role for the side as they look to mix things up and stifle opposition batters.
With spin becoming such a key weapon in limited overs cricket in recent years, Archer’s performance could well go a long way to determining how successful the side are.
Simon Keen
A former first class cricketer, Keen’s ability and experience will be crucial for the Central Coast.
Batting at the top of the order and contributing with some medium pacers, the 36-year-old could well take the game away from the opposition if he gets on a roll.
Riverina
Made up of players killing it at club level across Albury-Wodonga and Wagga Wagga, the Riverina side comes into both one-day and T20 competitions optimistic about its chances.
“We’ve got some great depth, we’ll be batting with intent all the way down to nine or ten,” captain Josh Staines said.
“I think our T20 line-up is looking really good. Obviously you still need blokes to step up on game day, but I think we’ve got the quality to do so.
“We’ve got plenty of bowlers as well, lots of variety and options.
“The goal will just be to get better each day of the tournament, go on to play some good cricket and hopefully go as far as possible.”
Ethan Bartlett
From Wagga, Bartlett has been dangerous with the bat for the Wagga RSL Bulldogs to start the season, kicking off his club season with 87 from 43 balls in a T20 match.
Staines expects him to “go pretty hard early, strike the ball well and get plenty of boundaries” at the top of the order for Riverina, while he is also handy with the ball.
Nicholas Whitelaw
Bringing a bit of international presence to Country NSW is Whitelaw from Johannesburg in South Africa.
Playing out of Belvoir in Wodonga, he’s a talented all-rounder who bowls left-arm orthodox spinner and bats at the top of the order.
Chris Galvin
Another all-rounder who’ll be batting at the top of the order and bowling some handy medium-pace deliveries.
He’s also a “gun fielder” according to captain Staines, which could prove to be a point of difference for Riverina.
Southern Districts
Captain Jack Whitfield and his Southern Districts side are embracing the underdog tag coming into the tournaments.
They’re the new zone on the block, with players coming from an area that takes in the Southern Highlands, Goulburn, Monaro, Queanbeyan, among other areas, and are hoping to be competitive and ruffle a few feathers.
“We’re looking forward to the challenge and seeing how we stack up against the others,” Whitfield said.
“We’ve got a good mix of young fellas with fresh legs and some older fellas who have been around a while to bring some experience.
“We’re new, we’re still coming through and organising ourselves to find our best squad for years to come, but if we can be competitive in the meantime, that’s the goal.
“If we can mix it with some of these zones, ones that have produced some phenomenal cricketing talent through the years, we’ll take a lot from these games and build on it for years to come.”
Hayden Willibrand
An exciting 18-year-old talent, Willibrand brings fresh legs and, in the words of Whitfield, “gives us something to go to” with his sharp deliveries.
He also represented Southern Districts at the Country Colts carnival and has been another top performer in the Burns Cup.
James Morton
Wicketkeeper and middle-order batter for the Southern Districts side, Morton has been in good form this season, leading the run scoring in the Burns Cup.
He’s had a good showing at junior rep cricket zone carnivals in the past, and will be hoping to use his first chance to shine in the opens category.
Alex Debs
The ultimate utility player, Debs is an all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls with plenty of curry.
“He’s got a bit of a jet in him in the field, throwing himself everywhere,” said Whitlock, who added that Debs is the kind of cricketer who can play across both T20 and one-day formats with ease and is always ready to “produce something special”.
Western
The hosts will be out to impress in front of their local fans in what is a home group stage for Western.
After narrowly missing out on qualifying for last year’s final, the team will have a significantly different look to it in 2023, with a string of new players in the squad.
“We’ve got some new young guys in and everyone’s got the right character, so hopefully we can come together and put on a good show,” said coach Andrew Zell.
These new players include youngsters Lachlan Rummans and Tom Blowes, who represented Western in October’s Country Colts (under-19s) tournament in October.
In particular, the coach thinks the team could do well with the bat in hand if they get going.
“I think we’ve got a lot of depth to our batting lineup. If we get off to a good start I think we’ve got the ability to put on a very good score.
“One thing I spoke to our selectors about was having depth in the middle order, so if we do lose a few quick wickets I feel comfortable that we should have the right players to steer us through.”
And while the team’s strength may lie with its batting, Zell believes the key to Western’s success will ultimately be with the ball in hand.
“The wickets are generally very flat at Wade Park, so it comes down to the little things: fielding, holding our chances and bowling to the field,” he said, noting that devising and executing bowling plans will be crucial.
“I think the bigger thing is how we approach is it from a bowling perspective than a batting perspective.”
Matt Everett
The Gilgandra boy had a dream 2022/23 season, scoring runs for fun, breaking a heap of records and capping things off by being awarded the Josh Hazlewood Medal as the NSW Country player of the year.
Batting at the top of the order, he’ll be key to getting Western off the mark on the right foot with the bat.
Bailey Edmunds
The Dubbo quick has been in good form to kick off the season, taking plenty of wickets in the Western Zone Premier League.
“He was really good for us last year, I was impressed with him,” said Zell. “He puts absolutely everything into his bowling and he was probably our loudest guy in the field as well to keep the team up.”
POOL A
Central North
With the opening rounds to be played on home turf, Central North come into this tournament with somewhat of an edge.
“We’re embracing that because it’s probably the last we’ll get for a long time,” assistant coach Don Lewington said.
“It’ll be conditions that we’re familiar with, hopefully allowing the boys to get comfortable and play their natural game.”
The squad assembled is well-balanced to adapt to both long and short formats, with Lewington identifying the players’ confidence as one of their strengths.
“There are so many leaders within the group, all either captaining the local sides or being leaders within those sides, so that’ll put a bit of pride on their backs when they play for the rep side.”
Josh Trappel
Captain of the side is the experienced Trappel, who has the most aggregate runs so far this season in the Maitland & District competition, averaging an impressive 97 for Maitland City United.
In his early 30s, he brings great leadership and run-scoring ability to the side.
Steve Abel
From Maitland, Abel is an exciting talent who has been putting up some impressive numbers for Kurri & Weston District Cricket Club.
He notched up 165 with the bat in a two-day fixture in October.
Callum Henry
Had big shoes to fill in the wicketkeeper role with coach Tom Groth stepping aside.
Henry has performed admirably though, starting well with the bat and showing off some terrific glove work.
Greater Illawarra
Grant Tilling’s Greater Illawarra side has changed significantly since last season, with Tilling excited about the mix of youth and experience in the squad he’s put together.
“They’re a young group but take nothing away from them, they’re all hungry to stand up and do a job exceptionally well and fight hard for the four days,” Tilling said.
The squad comprises of players who have been dominating in both the Cricket Illawarra and South Coast District competitions, as well as for representative teams.
The likes of Bailey Abela, Ethan Debono and Ben Phillips are all coming off centuries in recent weeks, meaning confidence will be sky-high in the batting department.
Ethan Debono
The aforementioned Debono is fresh off a century and player of the match performance in the Cricket Illawarra T20 grand final for Wollongong District, hitting 116 not out in 67 balls.
He’s shown he can do it in the one-day format as well, scoring 146 for Illawarra Opens in the Creighton Cup in October.
Bailey Abela
Highly-touted young gun Abela is another in a tremendous purple patch of form, having also hit a century in the Creighton Cup with 152 runs.
He had a solid tournament with the bat in the recent Country Colts under-19s championship with Greater Illawarra and is more than capable of mixing it with the men as well.
Justin Weller
One of the premier bowlers of the South Coast District Cricket Association, Weller bowls a mean medium-fast delivery that has seen him pick up 10 wickets already this season.
Opening the bowling for Greater Illawarra, he “brings a lot to the table” according to Tilling, notably some great leadership to a youthful side.
Squad:
Bailey Abela, Kealan Blattner, Angus Cumming, Ethan Debono, Adam Ison, Cooper Maddison, Jack McDonald, Ben Phillips, Ben Rogers, Pushpinder Singh Jassal, Dan Smith, Justin Weller, David Wood, Grant Tilling (coach)
Newcastle
Already the greatest cricketing dynasty in NSW Country history, Newcastle is looking to further extend its amazing record as it attempts to win what would be an unprecedented fifth-straight Country Championship.
The team is also defacto defending champions of the revamped Regional Bash after the Newcastle Blasters took out last year’s title.
And while the squad has had incredible amount of success in recent years, coach Shane Burley says the players are motivated to continue their legacy.
“The guys are still really keen, which is good, and I suppose those are things that I look out for in the pre-season to see where we’re at.
“I keep challenging the group and they keep challenging each other. I think the motivation is still pretty high.”
Newcastle has good reason to be confident, with just a couple of changes from last year’s squad. Young gun Joey Gillard, who starred in Newcastle Country Colts victory, is unavailable after moving to Sydney, while Charlestown players Jed Dickson and Daniel Chillingworth have not been selected on account of unavailability and niggling injuries, respectively.
In a strong sign of competition locally, Wallsend batter Daniel McGovern and Belmont skipper Adrian Isherwood have forced their way into the squad on the back of some excellent performances in the local first grade competition.
“We’ve got a squad of 15 this year,” said Burley. “We normally only take 13, so we’ve just got a bit of extra coverage there, especially with the bowlers to manage the loads and make sure everyone gets through those couple of days.”
Aaron Bills
A mainstay in the Newcastle rep set-up in recent years, the leg spinner has been in fine form with the ball this season, taking 14 wickets at just 11 to be one of the leading wicket-takers in the competition.
With spin proving to be a huge weapon in limited overs cricket, Bills looms as a key player or the defending champs, while his middle/lower order hitting can also be incredibly damaging.
Logan Weston
A key man at the top of the order, Weston has been in strong form with the bat, notching up two half-centuries for Stockton.
With shots all around the park, he has the potential to take the game away from his opponents very quickly.
Josh McTaggart
One of Newcastle’s three under-23-year-olds in the squad, the young all-rounder has been particularly outstanding with the ball so far for Stockton, taking 12 wickets from just four matches at an average of 9.2.
A member of last year’s championship-winning team, the 22-year-old will look to build on that experience and dominate at the rep level.
North Coastal
Looking to shake things up in Pool A is North Coastal, who will be out to upset some of their more fancied opponents.
Despite missing four or five of their selected players due to various other commitments, coach Pat Rosser is excited to see how his chargers go.
“We’re probably the definition of a grinding, no-frills kind of team that is just going to compete, build pressure, do the little things well over and over again and create opportunities that way,” he said.
“I think we’ve got a fairly solid team but we’ve got some work to do there, knowing that the bowling attacks and batting lineups we come up against are playing Premier Cricket in Newcastle, Wollongong and the Central Coast – all really good quality competitions. I’m excited about seeing how some of these new guys go.”
With a solid top order highlighted by the likes of Alec Williams, North Coastal are also bolstered by the return of experienced spinner Richie Gallichan and the inclusion of youngster Ryan Kernaghan, who has been taking plenty of wickets for Goonellabah Workers in the local competition.
And while they might not have big-name superstars across the board like in some other teams, the team has shown that it can certainly match it with the best, highlighted by an excellent 131-run victory over eventual champions Newcastle last season.
“Last year we beat Newcastle for the first time ever,” he said.
“That was one of the better wins that North Coastal have had. But that was last year and means nothing this year. It’s about turning up and starting from square one again.”
Alec Williams
The skipper and former NSW Country representative will be key for North Coastal, with his leadership and top-order hitting crucial if the team is to get off to a strong start.
“He’s played at the Country level and knows what it takes to dominate these carnivals,” said Rosser.
Ben McMahon
A medium-pace bowler and middle-order batter, McMahon is described as one of the “quiet achievers” of the side who plays a key role in giving the team balance.
“He’s a solid all-rounder and a fantastic contributor to the team,” said Rosser.
Tom Byrnes
The batting all-rounder is another expected to be an important source and both wickets and runs as North Coastal look to play tight, disciplined cricket.
“He’s another no nonsense player,” said Rosser. “He bats in the top order and once he gets going he’s nice to watch. He also a bit of a surly operator with the ball as well.”
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