THERE’S nothing illuminating about Tamworth’s third- round Country Cup opponents Northern Power, with Tamworth very much in the dark about the side they’ll host on Sunday for a spot in the fourth round.
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No-one really knows anything about them, even where they’re based.
“I’ve no idea about who they’ve played or what they’ve done in the past,” selector Adam Jones said.
The uncertainty might not necessarily be a bad thing, skipper Tom Groth said.
You can get caught up in who their strong players are and focus too much on them, he said.
“We’re taking some good form into the game after last week,” Groth said.
“A few blokes who needed to get some runs got some runs.”
He mentioned Jones as one of those. His unbeaten 87 were his first real runs for the year.
“He’s a pretty important part of the side batting at five,” Groth said.
Michael Rixon (44) also looked “outstanding” before he got out.
Jones and his fellow selectors are still hunting for another player and were waiting to hear back from Aaron Hazlewood.
“Hopefully, he’ll be able to play on Sunday,” Jones said.
“With the second team having to play in the Plate it makes it quite difficult to find another player.”
Hazlewood would be the ideal candidate.
He covers both batting and bowling.
They have, on paper, probably got enough bowlers but there is an injury concern over Brendon Reynolds.
He strained his hamstring against Newcastle on the first day of the Country Championships, and wasn’t able to bowl the rest of the weekend.
Jones was hoping he could rest it last weekend but, while he didn’t play for Tamworth on Sunday, he did for West on Saturday, although he only bowled four overs.
“Fingers crossed, he’s going to be 100 per cent,” Jones said.
He is a key part of their attack.
So, too, is Will Chesterfield.
Jones understands the Old Boys spinner is “right to go”.
“He’s a big plus for us, especially on a No.1 wicket that will probably turn a bit,” he said.
“He’ll be quite a handful on that wicket.”
Ben Middlebrook also picked up two wickets against Armidale last week with his tweakers.
Jake Everett and Troy Osborne took the new ball against Armidale last week, and could be thrown it again on Sunday depending on the final make-up.
“Ozzie will probably tell you he didn’t bowl at his best his first three overs but he came back well,” Jones said.
He took the final two wickets to wrap up Armidale’s innings.
Everett also finished with two and, backing up from a 15-over straight spurt the previous day, bowled pretty well with the new ball, Jones thought.
