NORTHERN Inland Cricket Council cricket enters something of a new era in Tamworth today when the War Veterans Cup takes on a new look.
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NICC officials have changed the format of the War Veterans Cup to try to make it more competitive after a decade of Tamworth dominance.
Rather than play a home and away season between Tamworth, Armidale, Gunnedah and Narrabri, NICC officials have opted for a new competition including Tamworth’s six club sides up against combined Namoi (Gunnedah and Narrabri) and New England (Armidale, Inverell and Glen Innes).
It’s a bold move but one which has already hit a snag on the Northern Tablelands where the New England side is exclusively Armidale players.
Armidale’s Brad King was handed the task of organising a side but was told by Inverell officials their players were required to play a Connolly Cup match against Glen Innes tomorrow.
“It’s a bit of a problem,” King said.
“So we’ve only been able to pick Armidale players.
“Luckily we’ve got a first grade bye in Armidale this weekend but still have a few players unavailable.”
Mat Baillie, a former Emu and top-order Hillgrove bat, has returned from Sydney and will skipper the New England side when it plays North Tamworth today (Riverside 2) and West Tamworth (Chaffey Park) tomorrow.
“He’s a good left-handed bat who played second and third grade in Sydney.
“Michael Dawson is also back from his English stint.
“He didn’t score any centuries over there but did score a lot of runs, with plenty of 50s and 70s.
“Our big problem is a lack of pace bowlers.”
That problem is escalated by the fact outstanding young seamer Lachlan Elks has to play a representative Under 17 match tomorrow.
Braden Graham was to have replaced him but he has to work, King said.
“We’ve got the bare 11,” he said.
Jock Cartwright and Todd Francis, who made their Armidale debuts for Easts last week, are in the New England side along with Easts skipper Sam Uphill, Scott Brennan, Brad Smith, Steve Butler, Karl Triebe and Adam Sweeney.
A bearded Butler is back from England as well and the former Emu is determined to “give it a good crack”.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Butler said.
“The main thing is trying to do something to make it more competitive.
“We’ll get on board and give it a good go.”
Central North Zone chairman Terry Psarakis likes that attitude.
“We’ve had to try something,” he said.
“Tamworth’s won something like the last 10 War Vets Cups.
“But this isn’t something new.
“Back in my earlier days with Souths the Tamworth club sides played in the War Vets, probably 30 years ago now.
“We (Souths) made the final against Narrabri.
“They had a very strong side in those days and beat us at Collins Park.
“This time around we are trying to strengthen the other towns by combining them.”
He said the new competition, which has been streamlined to two weekends, also fits today’s climate where players are finding it increasingly difficult to play successive days, Saturday and Sunday.
All eight teams will play this weekend, with the top four teams then meeting in November 30 semi-finals and followed by a December 21 Final.
