The chance to play alongside a close mate again was one of the factors which has led Ben Strachan to make a switch from CYMS to Macquarie.
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Strachan has been involved with the Cougars for more than a decade since making the move to Dubbo from Louth but he's made the high-profile switch after just one round of the 2019/20 season.
Strachan stated playing alongside Macquarie legend Jason Green is something he's made no secret of wanting to do one day, and the time was now right to make that happen.
"It will be great not have him smacking me around," Strachan laughed when speaking about Green.
"But I'm really looking forward to playing with him. We played rep cricket together for Macquarie Valley back before I was at CYMS and really enjoyed that.
"Now we can get back into it."
While he's eager to play alongside Green and a number of other mates at Macquarie, it wasn't a an easy choice to make the move.
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While he's spent time playing and living in the United Kingdom in the past decade, Strachan has been synonymous with the Cougars.
"I made the move to Dubbo at the end of 2008 and started playing with CYMS and I really enjoyed it," he said.
"I've had a few changes in my life the last few months and I have always said I wanted to play a couple of seasons with 'Greeny' because we're close friends so the time was right for a change.
"It's not a decision I made overnight though. It was a good month or two and I played the first game to see how I felt and nothing had changed for me so I'm better off changing now before I'm not enjoying my cricket."
While Strachan joked he's looking forward to not being the oldest member of the team any more, the makeup of the Macquarie and CYMS sides did play a part in his decision.
The Cougars lineup is dominated by players 20 years of age of younger and being around a group closer to his own age group was a factor for the former Orana Outlaws star.
Despite the youth within the CYMS lineup the side is one of the frontrunners for this season's RSL-Whitney Cup premiership.
The Cougars ended a final drought by making the semi-final last season but the loss of Strachan, someone dubbed the 'Bourke Bruiser' by Cricket NSW officials given his ability with the ball and his sheer size, comes as a real blow.
The all-rounder may not be able to bowl at his regular pace for a number of months due to an elbow complaint but he made his presence felt with the bat in round one, hitting a half century in the Cougars' win over Rugby.
There is a chance Strachan could be steaming in again after Christmas, but for now the focus is on settling in to his new team.
"I'm not 100 percent sure where they'll have me and often when you go into a new team you have to take a bit of a backward step," he said.
"I'll just do my best though and help where I can."
Strachan's brother, Lachlan, remains at the Cougars.
Macquarie takes on defending premiers Newtown in round two while CYMS plays Souths and Colts meets Rugby.
Play starts 1pm.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
