THE Canterbury District Kiwis tour moves back to Tamworth tomorrow when the NZ visitors tackle the Northern NSW Under 21 Emus in a one-day match at No1 Oval starting around 1pm.
Yesterday they were playing Gunnedah in a day-night match at Kitchener Park and they started well.
They took early wickets and only a good partnership between Gunnedah opener Cameron Milne (50no) and allrounder Farran Lamb (28no) restored the innings to be 3-116 at the first drinks break.
Gunnedah’s Twenty20 cricket also continues at Kitchener Park tonight when the 2012-2013 McDonald’s Gunnedah Premier League Twenty20 competition begins.
Now into its fourth year, this years competition will see a new franchise come on board and a new skipper.
Gunnedah Timbers are the new franchise and Trent Hilton the new skipper.
He’ll lead Lakeford Real Estate. They are chasing a hat-trick of titles after winning the last two.
Ben Middlebrook will lead Gunnedah Timbers, Troy Sands Tamba Industrial and Farran Lamb Karen Carter Chemist.
They each selected a squad of 15 and, on paper, the four teams look pretty even, Gunnedah Cricket Association president Paul Lodge said.
It should make for a pretty close competition.
Middlebrook had first pick and went with Jamie Mitchell as his choice.
Sands was next and snapped up big-hitting allrounder Wade Ryan. Hilton also went for an allrounder, with his first pick securing the services of Cameron Milne.
Milne is the second top run scorer in the local competition to date and also among the leading wicket-takers.
Lamb snared keeper-batsman James Mack first-up.
Interest was as high as it’s ever been.
“We had 76 nominate this year,” Lodge said.
“It’s the most we’ve had in the four years.”
There was a fair bit of outside interest too, with 15 of the nominations coming from non-affiliated players (with Gunnedah).
Lodge said as well as McDonald’s still being the major sponsor and the prize pool remaining the same, there would be the same novelty things like crowd catches and classic catches.
“There’s still $200 up for the most runs and most wickets and $100 for the most catches and catches by a wicketkeeper,” he said.
Entry is by gold coin donation.
Lakeford and Gunnedah Timbers will kick things off at 5.15pm, with Tamba Industrial and Karen Carter to follow from 8pm.