Poms to power GCA push

THE Geelong Cricket Association has assembled one of its best squads in recent years as it bids for a hat-trick of Melbourne Country Week crowns.

The GCA has injected star power to the team that claimed the provincial final last season, securing the services of Englishmen Matt Lineker and Graham Clark.

Coach Brad Stacey has also added depth and variety to an already formidable bowling attack ahead of the carnival from February 19 to 23.

“If we perform to how it looks on paper we’ll be going all right,” Stacey said last night. “In the batting stocks, it’s the best we’ve had in the past few years, for sure. The bowling squad is very good as well.”

The pace battery will consist of Shaun Kingwell (North Geelong), Nick Lynch (South Barwon) and Nick McGuane (Newtown & Chilwell), with East Belmont speedster Dave Lineen available on day two.

Lions’ leg-spinner Chris Williams has put his hand up to play on day one and day five, giving the GCA plenty of spin options alongside captain Chris Bambury, Lineker and North Geelong’s Mitch Troy.

“When you look at the stats, Kingwell, Lynch, McGuane and Williams are all the leading wickettakers and we’ve got a lot of variety,” Stacey said. “This is one of the first years we’ve had a heap of players wanting to play and we’ve picked the side on balance.”

Grovedale champion Glen Talarico was high on Stacey’s priority list, but after an interrupted season with injuries, he opted to allow the all-rounder to focus on his fitness.

Torquay import Mike Jones was on the list until he was selected for Scotland’s World Cup training camp in the United Arab Emirates, while the limited availability of North Geelong’s Nathan Fitzpatrick left him out of the squad.

Stacey and Bambury will have plenty of headaches selecting the side each day, with 14 of the 16 players available for the entire week.

“It’s going to be hard to sit a few blokes out, but we’ll just be smart with blokes like Brad Hauenstein and Bambury,” Stacey said.

Richie Oliver and Sean O’Neill look set to form an explosive partnership at the top of the order, with Lineker to bat at No.3.

Newtown import Clark will come in at four, Andrew Fergusson will slot in at five and the in-form Pat Richards at six.

Geelong will play Ballarat in Geelong on the Monday, Bairnsdale in Melton on the Tuesday and Murray Valley in Hoppers Crossing on the Wednesday. SQUAD: PAGE 35