Cricket team desperate to get Allora skipper out early
RESERVE grade teams match up for second successive year in Warwick grand final.
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CRICKET: Getting the wicket of Allora captain Sean Bryson will be the first objective for the Sovereign Animals at Mayhew Oval in Saturday's reserve-grade grand final.
"We have to get Sean early,” Animals captain Luke Cullen said.
Last season, Bryson was man of the final in his side's grand final win over the Sovereign Animals.
If his team bats first, Cullen says they will be aiming for a score of 160 or more.
"The wicket at Mayhew Oval wasn't used until the new year and has plenty of grass,” he said.
While Allora will start favourites, they miss unavailable top-order batsman and medium pacer Mitch McLennan.
Last season, Blake Lollback took five wickets to destroy the Sovereign batting before Bryson opened the Allora innings and stayed at the wicket until the winning runs were scored.
One of the players Sovereign will be hoping can fire is Joe Levick, an addition to the club this season. He played cricket in England before heading to Warwick and linking with Sovereign.
Cullen is upbeat some of the young players in his side have one more year of experience after competing in the 2017-18 grand final.
The unavailability of paceman Caleb King is a body blow to Sovereign as he and Cahal Davis have forged an excellent partnership with the new ball.
Cullen is likely to use Rob Wagner as a replacement for King with the new ball duties.
"Rob bowled some good overs at the death last weekend,” Cullen said.
Sovereign rose to the occasion against the Redbacks with three wins this season, but they went down in their only game against Allora.
Bryson said if his bowlers could keep it tight, his team's batting could chase down anything under 200.
"I have only won a third of the tosses this season - most teams bat first in Warwick cricket,” the captain said, adding that he believed batting first would enable his team to make best use of the Mayhew Oval deck.
If there is one criticism of Bryson the captain, it is his reluctance to bowl himself.
"I will come on just before drinks with my off spinners,” he said.
"I didn't need to bowl in the major semi-finals as our opening bowlers did the job in dismissing Redbacks for 68.”
The game's format is 40 overs a side.
Originally published as Cricket team desperate to get Allora skipper out early
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