Skipper ready for a thriller
AFTER almost a month off the field due to the weather, Wanderers skipper Guy Brooks believes the final weekend of the Townsville Cricket season almost feels like the first.
But rather than warming into the year ahead, Wanderers will be going full throttle as they aim to clinch an unlikely finals berth and keep their season alive.
Wanderers will play twice this weekend, with matches against bottom-placed Wests and ladder leaders Norths as they aim to make up 10 competition points to leapfrog Brothers into third place and a semi-final next weekend.
It will be the match against Wests, which will be played under two-day rules across 80 overs, that Brooks said would be do-or-die for his side.
“It is definitely a different thing for Townsville cricket, to be headed into the final weekend of the season and still have results counting towards finals make-up,” he said.
“The game against Wests will be the decider.
“Both teams will be putting themselves in a position to potentially lose the game to make sure they can win it. It will be an interesting day of cricket, there will be things happening on the field that haven’t been seen in Townsville Cricket for a long time.”
Brooks hinted that declarations could become a factor as well as unique fielding tactics and run rate tactics.
If his side is to claw their way into the Townsville Cricket finals, Brooks believes allrounder Ryan Eaton will be a major catalyst to their success.
“He has been performing all year for us,” Brooks said.
SUNS young gun Matt Rowell says he still has something to prove going into his second year and believes one key growth area can make it happen in 2021.
The much-hyped No.1 draft pick has put rivals on notice heading into his second season, declaring a preseason spent strengthening his legs will make him an even more potent weapon in Gold Coast’s engine room.
The 19-year-old said he was determined to show he could produce the same form from his first five games as an AFL player across an entire season.
“For me it’s all about having a strong, consistent year and showing people that I can do it for a full season,” Rowell said.
“I took a more holistic approach to my shoulder rehab. I focused a lot on my legs in the gym. Hopefully that will pay dividends this season.”