TAMWORTH will be employing the same principle as it did in last week’s Country Shield quarter-final as it chases a home Connolly Cup semi-final against Narrabri tomorrow.
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The winner of the clash at Collins Park will finish on top of the western conference.
Tamworth will head over understrength, with War Veterans Cup and other commitments stretching their depth.
“It’ll be a very depleted team,” skipper Simon Toyer said.
He wasn’t even sure what the final make-up will be.
He knows at least one of the players named in the revised team on Thursday is unavailable.
“We’ve still got blokes there who can get runs on the board,” he said.
The top four looks strong, with last week’s Shield centurion Matt Everett, Troy Osborne, Harrison Kelly and Toyer there.
Toyer and Kelly were also part of the shield side.
The plan going to that was for one of the top four to post a big score.
They ended up with two, with Everett and skipper Ben Middlebrook both scoring tons.
“The same principle applies,” Toyer said.
“One of the top four have got to go on and get a big score.”
He hasn’t played out at Narrabri before but will be looking for something in the vicinity of 200- plus.
“We’ve got the personnel to do it, regardless of who plays on the day,” he said.
Still, it’s not an ideal situation to be in for such an important game, having such an unsettled side.
It’s another big weekend for Toyer.
Last night he was playing for Steggles in the Twenty20 Final.
He’ll back up from that today to lead City United against South Tamworth in the first day-nighter for the season.
“It’s a bit of a must-win game for us,” Toyer said.
“We win that and we’re in the four.”
They will be missing two of their strike weapons though.
Ben Semmler and Richie O’Halloran are both having a day at the races in Moree.
Aaron Dennis will come back in and be a swap for Semmler.
South got the better of them last time they met, although they did have them in a spot of bother in their run chase.
Their batting was the issue then as it has been most of their games.
The day-nighter will be part of the entertainment as Tamworth hosts the Home Ground Tour.
The activities start with a free clinic from 11-1pm with special guest Doug Walters.
There’ll then be a ladies’ Twenty20 and Milo In 2 Cricket session, leading into the South v City game, during which the Big Bash will be screened live on the big screen.
Tomorrow the focus will turn to the War Veterans Cup final.
Following that, there will be a celebrity Twenty20 challenge from 6pm-8pm.
Santa will also pay a visit at 7pm, and there’ll be a jumping castle and face painting.
The travelling museum and blow-up nets will also be open.