NARRABRI hosts Inverell and Manilla tackles Tamworth Second XI in Sunday’s Northern Inland Cricket Council’s MA Connolly Cup semi-finals.
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Manilla finished top of the Connolly Cup Northern Conference, four points ahead of Inverell and earned the right for a home semi-final on Sunday after a last-round demolition of Glen Innes in Glen Innes.
The Paul Abra-captained side hosts a strong Tamworth Second XI but is yet to settle on a team,the skipper advised.
“We haven’t finalised a side as yet,” Abra said yesterday.
“We’ve got 15 blokes. I’d love to give everyone a game but someone’s got to miss out.
“We’ll need our best side too because we know Tamworth will be strong and we’ll have to be at our best to beat them.”
The inclusion of Tamworth first grade batsman Abel Carney (Old Boys) and Nick Leyden (South Tamworth) will strengthen the Manilla batting, with Brett Fisher one of the bowling spearheads.
Fisher claimed 5-31 in the last round game against Glen Innes when Manilla rolled Glen for 61 and then knocked off the runs without losing a wicket.
Manilla lost just one of its round games.
“Armidale got us at home on a sticky wicket,” Abra recalled.
Sunday’s clash with Tamworth is a little bit of an Old Boys reunion, with “five or six” of the Manilla side all playing for an Old Boys club where the first grade side is captained by Ben Middlebrook.
The Tamworth Second XI also contains Old Boys first grade stars Aaron Hazlewood, Will Howard and Adam Lole.
Hazlewood currently heads the Tamworth first grade best and fairest award.
The brother of Test bowler Josh Hazlewood is an explosive allrounder, a strike weapon with both bat and ball.
“Aaron will be home for the weekend,” Middlebrook said of the Old Boys allrounder who works in a coalmine near Nyngan but plays all his cricket in Tamworth.
“It’s a bit of an Old Boys reunion out there, with Abel and the other Old Boys players in the Manilla side.
“It should be a bit of fun – bit of banter.”
Carney and Leyden will be dangermen, Middlebrook said.
‘“Abel has been in good form for us (Old Boys first grade). He hits the ball hard.
“And Nick is a quality player too.
“They will be tough out there after finishing top of their group.”
In the other semi-final, Narrabri, which finished top of the Southern Conference to earn a home semi, plays Inverell at Collins Park.
Winners of the two semi- finals play off in a February 8 final at a venue to be decided after Sunday’s semis.
TAMWORTH (team to play Manilla at Brady Park Manilla on Sunday): Matt Everett (wk), Adam Lole, Ben Middlebrook, Simon Toyer, Richie O’Halloran, Troy Osborne, Joey Holt, Mitch Holt, Ben Semmler, Jack Richards, Will Howard.
