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Reporters Nick Guthrie and Tom Barber will look - sometimes seriously and sometimes not seriously at all - into all that's happening in one of the strongest cricket competitions in the bush.
There will be analysis, insight, predictions, and maybe some rankings as well.
The 2021/22 season promises plenty and there's lots of excitement around the game after people have been stuck inside away from playing sport during lockdown. With that in mind, we decided to look at what players might stand out in 2021/22 in our first edition.
THE STAR
Simple enough. Who's going to be the main man in 2021/22?
Nick Guthrie: I'm going all in on Tom Coady. Of course, it depends if he stays in Dubbo all season and doesn't make the move to Sydney after Christmas and once he's done with HSC exams. It's not a crazy choice considering he was the top run-scorer in the competition last season but I can see him going to anther level.
Brock Larance and Ben Patterson will also feature in a CYMS batting lineup that could provide more fireworks than a Sydney New Year's festival but I think Coady could outdo them. His power game is severely underrated and he can bomb sixes for fun at times but he also knows how to grind it out if needed.
Also a very tidy wicketkeeper, Coady also has a great chance to show his all-round skills given the Cougars bowling attack will feature the pace of Patterson, movement of bowlers like Ben O'Donnell and Ben Knaggs, and the spin of youngster Paddy Nelson and Larance.
Lock him in for a big summer.
Tom Barber: I'm backing former Western Zone all-rounder James O'Brien to have a big season back in Dubbo. During his last stint in town, O'Brien was a big part of Rugby's success especially during 2016/17 when the club took out the RSL Whitney Cup.
A whippy quick who is also a more than capable top-order batter, O'Brien is an aggressive hitter of the ball who should thrive in the limited-overs matches. Bowling wise, Rugby have the emerging left-arm quick Lawson Shepherd who impressed last year but O'Brien could easily lead the attack in wickets taken.
There are only a handful of cricketers in town who are capable of opening the bowling and batting at a high-level should they be needed. O'Brien is one of those.
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THE YOUNG GUN
Dubbo cricket has a proud history of developing young players. Who's next?
Nick Guthrie: Tyson Deebank is one to watch. Colts have a host of big names in the side but captain Marty Jeffrey has mentioned the young up-and-comers and his willingness to give the a chance plenty during pre-season.
Young leg-spinner Deebank made his first grade debut last season and proved he belonged by taking eight wickets in just five games. That and another off-season of development means he could be in for more time with the top side this summer. The teenager will find himself in a positive atmosphere and there will be plenty of senior players willing to take Deebank under their wing, much like Colts did with Ant Atlee last season.
Deebank has been mentioned for a few years now as a promising junior and this could be the season he puts his name up in lights.
Tom Barber: I feel like Ted Murray could have a really big season. The Souths left-hander will likely bat in the top five and showed plenty of potential last season.
Souths will have a young side apart from guys like Greg Rummans and Adam Wells but I think Murray could be the glue in the top order. If you need any background, Murray scored a mature 76 last season against the eventual premiers RSL Colts.
Rummans has previously stated it will be the young guys for Souths who will take a bigger role this season and I think Murray has all the makings of a star.
BUY LOW, SELL HIGH
Who's the dark horse who might be capable of surprising this season?
Nick Guthrie: There hasn't been a whole lot of noise coming out of the Newtown camp during the off-season. They're going to be an intriguing side with Mitch Russo taking over as captain and a number of changes in the lineup.
Gaurav Sharma will be one player worth watching. He's made an impact in limited chances with Newtown and could take on a bigger role this summer. His combination with fellow spinner Steve Skinner could be crucial as the Tigers look to topple the more fancied trio of Colts, CYMS, and Macquarie. If Sharma can keep things tight and pick up key wickets, which he's definitely capable of, Newtown might be well-placed to tie down some of the competition's powerhouse batting lineups.
Tom Barber: RSL Colts have one of the strongest sides in town and they rely on guys like Grant Malouf. A genuine swing bowler, Malouf is one the most underrated bowlers in the RSL Whitney Cup.
Last season, Malouf took a mammoth 28 wickets at an average of 13 and along with Ben Semmler was a big reason why RSL Colts won the title.
It is easy to forget about someone like Malouf when you have the likes of Ben Taylor and Mitch Bower bowling for you. However, if Malouf can produce a big season similar to last year, then RSL Colts are every chance at going back-to-back.
QUICK SINGLES: Three things to watch out for this weekend
The Demons step up
A bunch of mates playing sport together no matter the season. You love to see it. Members of the Dubbo Demons AFL club have got together in recent seasons and starred in third grade for the Newtown club. This season they're stepping up to the RSL-Pinnington Cup.
Led by the hugely experienced Tom Skinner (left), it might take the new-look Newtown second grade side time to get used to the competition and playing on turf regularly but the form shown in the past couple seasons proves they deserve this chance.
Larance and Patterson return
They've both represented the Australian Indigenous team and spent last season playing first grade in Sydney. Now Brock Larance and Ben Patterson are back in Dubbo and teammates at CYMS. It's huge for the Cougars to have two players of this calibre join the club and they're both capable of dominating matches on their own with both bat and ball. These two will provide fireworks and a clash with premiers RSL-Colts in round one is the perfect chance to make an early statement.
Bolstered Blues
The last couple of seasons it's felt like Macquarie was close to the RSL-Whitney Cup title but just a peg below some of their rivals. That could change this season. Already loaded with individual talent, the Blues have added last season's best all-rounded in first grade, Lachlan Strachan, and Parkes' Blake Smith to the lineup. Colts and CYMS also appear pretty loaded, but if the Blues put it all together it could be something special.
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