Cricketers set for TCI’s new season

Clubs ready for first round of one-day matches today

WESTS and Northern Brothers Diggers head into the new TCI A-grade season looking to defend their titles.

The Chronicle sports editor Ben Drewe spoke with the captains from each team about how their squad looks for the upcoming season, which starts today with one-day games across Toowoomba. Metropolitan-Easts v Wests at

Harristown Park, Northern Brothers Diggers v University at

Rockville Park, Souths v Highfields Railways at Middle

Ridge Park. Games start 12.15pm

The Trojans lost the one-day decider last year and missed out on the trophy in the two-day grand final when wet weather saw the game end in a draw.

That will motivate Met-Easts this season.

“Last year, going down in the final – the boys are wanting to go one better than last year,” captain Matt Dennis said.

“We didn’t go as well before Christmas as we would have wanted. We were last in the two-day stuff, so we’re obviously looking to get off to a better start this year with our form in the one-dayers and two-dayers.

“We want to be there at finals time in the one-day and two-day stuff. It has been the same for close to 10 years now. We don’t want to be doing anything different.”

The Trojans have been boosted in the lead-up to the start of the season today, with Simon Dennis and Peter Reimers likely to be available most weekends.

“I was looking at our team this week and we bat all of the way down to about eight or nine, so hopefully that goes well for us this year,” Matt Dennis said.

“We’ve obviously got plenty of all-round talent this year like Pete and Simon and Troy and guys like that who can do it with the bat and ball.” previous two seasons.

Top-order batsman Blake Anderson has stepped up to captain the team, and he said pushing for both titles would be driving his squad this season.

“Premierships are what everyone works for, so that’s the goal. But the competition will be a lot closer this year ... so it should be a good season,” Anderson said.

Diggers look like being without star all-rounder Mick Miller this season along with Craig Smith and Josh Barrett.

They have picked up an English import, though, and will rely on young players to fill the void. 13/14 one-day finish: Sixth 13/14 open finish: Fifth 14/15 captain: Stuart Keene SOUTHS hope improving their batting could be the key to more success this season.

Captain Stuart Keene said batting had been the focus of their pre-season.

“We’re trying to set up a really good culture at training,” Keene said.

“We’re really working hard on primarily our batting. Everyone has really been working hard there in the off-season.

“Everyone wants to make finals and win trophies, but all I’m looking for is just improvement throughout the season. We are a work in progress, I guess is the right way to put it.”

Souths have lost Brendan Doggett to Brisbane this season, but welcome back all-rounder John Cleary.

“He played a couple of seasons ago. He didn’t play last season, so that has been a big boost for us,” Keene said.

The last two seasons we haven’t made the finals of the two-day format so that is my goal.

experienced players are likely to play in the lower grades this season, meaning the club’s younger brigade will get a chance to impress.

Humphries is keen to see them contribute to getting Uni into the finals this season.

“We’ve traditionally done pretty well or been around-abouts, but we haven’t won a two-dayer since ’07/08, so we’d like to get back there,” he said.

“The last two seasons we haven’t made the finals of the two-day format, so that is my goal anyway, to make the finals of that and use the one-dayers to build into the two-day comp.” 13/14 one-day finish: Third 13/14 open finish: Premiers 14/15 captain: Brian May WESTS turned themselves into genuine contenders last season and could be so again after keeping their squad together.

Captain Brian May said building on that success hadn’t been spoken about ahead of the start of the one-day competition today, when they take on Metropolitan-Easts.

“Last year there was a lot of firsts. It was the first time we won a premiership, it was the first time we won the club championship ... but we haven’t spoken about anything like that,” May said.

“We haven’t spoken about trying to win again. We’ve just spoken about playing consistently.

“It’s going to be tough. Mets are a pretty good side.

“We did pretty well last year in the one-dayers. Any format it is good to get some momentum and play some good cricket.”