Week off won’t stop momentum, says batsman
THE schedule may have changed, but things still remain the same for Wests heading into today’s one- day match against Wanderers.
Townsville Cricket have condensed the previously scheduled two- day round into a limited- overs fixture, having cancelled last weekend’s senior cricket because of the Cowboys’ NRL grand final.
Wests are confident the scheduling change has not affected their winning momentum following an unbeaten start to the 2017/ 18 season.
“If anything the break has probably been good for us,” Wests batsman Ari Smith said.
“To give ourselves a week’s break and then get into a onedayer, I think it will be refreshing. For us it just means we have to be a bit more assertive, hitting straight and turning the strike over more regularly.
“Part of that is finding the gaps for those singles, just so we can keep it ticking over.”
The game will come at a bittersweet time for Wests, who have farewelled experienced top- order batsman Daine Macdonald for the rest of the season.
Macdonald heads to Brisbane for work, but replacing him will be one of Wests’ brightest young talents in Oliver Dickinson.
Townsville representative Jack Raffles will also be promoted up Wests’ batting order.
“We’ve known for a while that Daine was heading off to Brisbane, so it’s always sad to see a teammate leave,” Smith said.
“But Oliver is a good young cricket player who will add a lot to us, and Jack gets to move up, so it’s an exciting time for the team.”
Wests started the season with a first- innings win over Brothers, and backed it up with a 38- run win over grand finalists Saints in Round 2.
Wanderers got off to a flyer by downing Saints by 58 runs in their season opener, but suffered a second- round setback after getting rolled for 47 runs in their first- innings loss to Suburban Parks.
But Wanderers showed mettle in their second innings by finishing the match with 6/ 153.
“On their day Wanderers are a team that can show up and teach teams a thing or two,” Smith said.
Brothers and Subs will aim to continue their winning ways when they clash at John McCulloch Oval today.
Brothers go into the fixture having scored a dominant first- innings win over Norths the previous round, and Subs welcome back batsman Riley Ward from NQ Monsoons duty.
Saints and Norths meet in the other game.