The performances of Dubbo-based players could well decide Western Zone’s fortunes at this week’s NSW Country Colts Championship in Tamworth,
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Seven of the 13-man squad play their club cricket in Dubbo’s RSL-Whitney Cup and each of them will play a key role in the Matt Tabbernor-coached side.
The four-day event will see Western Zone, captained by CYMS skipper Ben Knaggs, play in a pool which includes Newcastle, Illawarra and Riverina.
Knaggs is joined in the side by Cougars teammates Thomas Nelson and Brock Larance while the Dubbo contingent also features Colts pair Tom Atlee and Marty Jeffrey as well as Souths duo Henry Railz and Corey McDean.
Jeffrey is one of two vice-captains to serve under the tutelage of Knaggs, the other being Bathurst-based Nic Broes.
“It [vice-captaincy] was a bit unexpected, but again that’s a good opportunity to get some experience in that role too. Maybe I feel a little bit of pressure, but as vice captain all I’m really doing is feeding stuff through to the captain, so it’s not too stressful,” Broes said.
“Day one is pretty hard, we’ve got Riverina first up and they’ll be hard to beat. They’ve got a really strong bowling line-up and their batting I think is underestimated a bit.
“We’ve got Newcastle on the third day and they’re always a tough side to face too. But it should be a good challenge for us and I think this is one of the best sides Western has ever sent away for the colts, so I am felling pretty confident.”
Broes is right to say it’s one of the strongest Western sides in recent times.
Railz is an open-age Western Zone player while he Larance, Atlee and Jeffrey were all part of the Orana Outlaws side which played in the Plan B Regional Bash finals day at the Sydney Cricket Ground earlier this month.
Larance has been labelled as one of the players to watch at the carnival, with his selection in the Australian under 16s side earlier this year making him one of the standout players in NSW Country Cricket.
Tabbernor and Knaggs will have plenty of options as coach and skipper with the bulk of the side being accomplished all-rounders.
If Western finishes on top of its pool, it will play for the country title in Thursday’s decider, against either ACT Southern, North Coastal, Central North or Central Coast.
Monday’s opening round match against Riverina starts at 10am.