Tamworth District Cricket Association (TDCA) president Richard Bullock reckons the fifth year of TPL will be just as thrilling and developmental as previous years where the Twenty20 games have also served as a bonding implement for Tamworth rep sides as well as a centre square training run for batsmen and bowlers to find some form.

It’s also been a brilliant promotional tool for the TDCA, with the splash of colour from the four teams spreading the cricketing mantra over the city.

TDCA president Richard Bullock, South Tamworth’s premiership-winning second grade captain, is also part of the Tamworth Plaster Works Tigers.

“It’s good to see some lower grade players nominate too,” Bullock said.

“It gives them a chance to play with the guys they never get a chance to play with and against. “It’s going to be good for them.

“We’re just hoping for a bit of rain. We need it badly but just of a Monday to Wednesday.

“We only had a meeting with the Tamworth Regional Council yesterday (Tuesday). They’ve been very helpful about all our grounds.”

McDonald’s sponsor not only a side but also the TPL and are back for another season.

They will be captained by Englishman Adam Mansfield with Don Lewington his manager.

Mansfield has played a lot of T20 cricket back home and rates it “good fun”.

“You need a good start and then build from there and then defend it,” the North Tamworth Redback said.

“We’ve picked a few North Tamworth players too as well as Jack (fellow English import Jack Beaumont). 

“I really only know the North Tamworth boys. Donnie gave us a hand – he knows all the other players.”

Andrew Peiper and Adam Jones formed the selection committee for the new franchise – Tamworth Plaster Works Tigers.

“Tim Simmonds (TPW owner) and I went to school together,” Peiper said.

“Not many people would know this but he was one of the fastest 14-year-old sprinters over 100m in Australia when he was 14.

“He loves his cricket.”

The TPW Tigers will play in orange and black and have a spinning bent to their TPL season.

“We’ve got three left-armers – Greg Kellett, Jack Richards and Harrison Kelly – as well as right-arm leggie Richie O’Halloran,” Peiper said.

“Richie Bullock and Greg Tighe are our pacemen and Matty Hughes the keeper.

“We’ve got a solid batting lineup too with Jonesie, Harrison, Richie O’Halloran and James Bellamy as well as allrounders like Richie Bullock, Aaron Follington and young AJ Pretorius. We’ll see how they go.”

Teenage Bective keeper Matt Everett will steer the Halpin’s Plumbing mob around Riverside. 

With Andrew Stevenson and Matty Halpin running the BBQ and refreshments, Everett only has to worry about the on-field stuff.

“We’ve done pretty well,” Everett said.

“We’ve got two of the Tamworth Country Cup opening bowlers (Col Smyth and Jack McVey).

“We’ve got a fair few options and have some good young kids like Tyson Rennie. 

“He had his first game in first grade last weekend against Souths. He might have got a golden duck but it’ll be a good experience for him.”

Everett will link with Old Boys skipper Ben Middlebrook in Sunday’s Country Shield clash with Armidale in Armidale and both he and the lanky Middlebrook, who scored 180 for Old Boys against City United in last Sunday’s War Veterans Cup, are looking forward to the Armidale Sportsground challenge.

Middlebroook is also excited about another stint in the TPL as skipper of the Steggles side.

“We’ve got a good balance,” he said.

“We might lack a couple of quicks but have a few spinners there. It’s all a bit of fun.”

James Psarakis was his first selection and the South Tamworth allrounder will be crucial with bat and ball in the T20.

Young spinner Will Chesterfield was high on his selection list too after seeing the young offie help win his club a first grade premiership last season.He’s also picked some Gunnedah players  Troy Sands and Mitch Swain.

“Mitch is going to have a run at Old Boys with us,” he said.

“Sandsie thought he’d come over and give it (T20) a crack.”

The McDonald’s Tamworth Premier League Twenty20 starts Friday, November 7.