SIZZLING SUMMER AHEAD
Old rivalries and newcomers ready to light up grounds as Townsville Cricket launches new season
THEY are the early favourites across Townsville Cricket to be the most improved side this season, but Wests allrounder Lachlan Ford is already nervous before a ball has been bowled.
Ford believed the Magpies’ first match of the season could be their biggest danger game of the year, up against competition newcomers Northern Beaches.
The Barras have taken the plunge this season, having joined the Agrade competition to provide a pathway for their emerging junior talent.
While Wests have led the recruitment drive in the off-season, after Queensland Country leader Sam Lowry joined the club, the unknown element of the Barras could prove a tough test.
“It is a pretty dangerous game with the newbies coming in,” Ford said.
“They have nothing to lose and will come in and play their game.
“It is good to have a sixth team in the competition.”
The Magpies will attempt to claw their way off the bottom rung of the Townsville Cricket totem pole after falling from the penthouse to the outhouse last summer.
But Ford said their last placing could have been of their own making.
“After last year everyone has had a shock to the system and we have got back into it,” he said.
“Everyone has been training really hard, which was good compared to the last few years. I think we got a bit complacent.”
Northern Beaches spinner Sean Farrelly, who will return to his junior club this season after spending time in Brisbane premier grade and with Brothers and Wests, said the Barras felt like an unknown quantity.
“It is good to get a side in, it has been a long time coming for the guys,” he said. “We have a new bunch of guys who want to give it a crack.
“Absolutely (we can cause upsets). I feel like we are a bit unknown, I don’t necessarily think they will have specific game plans against us. We should get lucky in that regard.
“We want the (club’s) juniors to see what we are doing and have a pathway to go into A grade. We have seen a lot of kids leave the club because we haven’t had an A grade team or parents didn’t think there was room for improvement.”
Norths, fuelled by their shock loss in last year’s grand final, will hunt for revenge in a first round rematch against premiers Brothers.
The mid-season acquisition of allrounder Chris Stanger last season has made an immediate impact in their pre-season, with batsman Bingen Balanzategui backing the club’s young brigade to fire with his guidance.
“I think (the loss) has given a lot of us a chance to grow and develop from it,” Balanzategui said.
“They say you have to lose one to win one, so hopefully we can bounce back this year to get the bickies.
“We have had a really good start to the pre-season. We have been training for a number of weeks now. We have done a lot of the little stuff, started simple and then building it up through the season.
“Stanger has been really good, he has been a mentor for us young fellas and fits in really well with the team.”
In the other game on the opening weekend, Sub Parks will aim to get their quest for a Townsville Cricket title off on the right foot against Wanderers at Fred Jacobsen Oval.