MOXONS Bakery is defending New England Mutual Big Bash champion and leads off the 2015 edition of the Armidale Twenty20 by tackling an explosive Ex-Services side at New England Mutual Armidale Sportsground this afternoon.
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The game, timed for a 5.15pm start, is the first of the two matches of the first round.
SportsPower and ADDA Constructions then match up in the 7.30pm game.
Steve Butler is captaining Moxons again and, at the recent draft, elected to take a “youth” approach.
“Bails (Matt Baillie) was my first pick,” Butler said of the outstanding left-handed top order batsman for Hillgrove Colts.
“He captained the Armidale first XI and is not only a good bat but a good bloke to have around. He has a very good cricketing brain.
“I tried to go for young players. I picked a good keeper (Brad Smith) as well to go with a couple of top order bats with some good young spinners.”
He said T20 is a fun game and he hopes his side will have plenty of that.
“Hopefully we’ll give it a good shake again too.
“It’s a pretty adaptable side.
“We should be good in the field and have players who can score.
“Will Frost is just back from Europe playing rugby. Harrison King is another good young player, bowls really well and has been bowling well in first grade without any great success.
“I’ve also picked a couple of young TAS players. Johnny Bowers looks pretty handy and Will Archer goes well.
“I’ve also got Bentley Cropper in our side. He’s been smashing the ball to all parts.
He believes Moxons Bakery is well balanced.
His side plays an Ex-Services side captained by hard-hitting wicketkeeper Cody Graham.
Easts skipper Sam Uphill is in that side and part of a strong bowling lineup including Karl Triebe, Luke Graham and Brayden Graham.
“Cody does bat well,” Uphill said.
“When he hits the ball they stay hit.
“We look like we’ve got a good balanced side too but will probably be underdogs.
“Cody’s first four picks were all bowlers too.”
That means the side has to bat well.
“We’ll have to be on our game.”
Tonight’s second game features SportsPower and ADDA Constructions.
Matt Schaefer skippers an ADDA side containing in-form allrounder Todd Francis, and outstanding top order bats Michael Dawson and Dean Moore.
Brad King skippers SportsPower which has a strong list of allrounders including Lochlan Elks, Mitch Moore, Scott Brennan, Barry Lockwood, as well as King, Paul Woodford junior and Josh Croft to feature with the bat.
