RAY Cusack has been trying to get a game of cricket with his son Angus for close to three years now but on Friday night the pair will run out together when the Christies Crackerjacks take on the Castlereagh Hornets in the McDonald's Megahit.
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The Crackerjacks and Hornets is the second clash in a double-header under lights at No. 1 Oval with the action beginning earlier when the Fishpond Automotive Warriors meet the Fishpond Cougars.
Ray Cusack, who captains Macquarie's Kelly Cup side, has received a call-up for the Twenty20 match and he said he's looking forward to the chance to play with his son, who has impressed with the ball in both the Megahit and Whitney Cup this summer.
"When Angus first started playing third grade a couple of years ago I was going to play all year with him but the first week of the season I go away to the (Bathurst) races for work and he got told after that first game he was too good for thirds," he said.
"So he played second grade all year and I played third grade and then I tried to make myself available for second grade the next season but exactly the same thing happened and he got pinched by first grade."
While delighted to get the chance to play with Angus, Ray also added he was looking forward to play the Megahit, mainly so he got to share some fun with some of the club's regular first-graders.
"I'm not quite as competitive as I used to be but I take any opportunity to play with the boys," he said.
"There's a lot of banter in our club, between ourselves, so I'm expecting a bit of that but it's all good fun."
The match is an important one for the Crackerjacks who currently sit third on the ladder.
With the top three advancing to the finals, the Crackerjacks have named big guns Jason Green, captain Keiran Brien, Ben Taylor and Dan Medway to help cement a top three spot.
"A win will definitely put us right up there but it's as long as the boys play well," Cusack said.
"The key players, like Angus, have got to take their wickets and 'K.B' (Brien) has to steer the side around."
The Crackerjacks and Hornets match follows on from the Western Plains Automotive Warriors and Fishpond Cougars clash.
Two wins and a loss currently has the Warriors second behind the Crickets Arms Journeymen but only differentials separates them from the Crackerjacks.
As it has been all season, Jordan Moran and James O'Brien will be key but in the likes of Jacob Bruce, Dan Horrocks and Jacob Hill there is plenty of support.
Bruce was hugely impressive last time out, claiming five wickets in his side's big win over the Club Dubbo Tigers and he will again lead the attack.
The Cougars are incredibly without a win in the short format of the game since February of 2012 and with just two matches remaining this season before finals, time is running out for a 2015/16 victory.
The action at No. 1 Oval gets underway at 5.30pm with the second match scheduled for an 8.10pm start.
