He was instrumental in Tamworth’s opening round War Veterans Cup win, and on Sunday Simon Norvill will have the honour of leading the district side for just the second time in his representative career.
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The Old Boys opener, whose unbeaten 65 helped steer the defending champions to a six-wicket win over Inverell last month, will assume the captaincy in the absence of Tom Groth when they host Narrabri.
“I’ve only done it once before. It was a while ago – about five years ago,” he said.
He couldn’t recall who it was against but Tamworth did get the win so he is one from one.
Hopefully two from two after Sunday.
”No matter what level you’re playing in, it’s always nice to captain your side,” Norvill said.
He’ll lead what is still a strong side, even with the likes of Groth, Michael Rixon, Tom O’Neill, Dan Collison and Abel Carney out.
“Everyone that has been picked is in form,” he said.
“Hopefully we can continue on with what we do well.”
“I know Narrabri is always pretty keen to beat us.”
The bowlers set the tone against Inverell with O’Neill and Tait Jordan, particularly, bowling a suffocating line and length.
Conceding O’Neill is a big loss, he is leaning towards towards Troy Osborne to take the new ball with Jordan, with Brad Redshaw and Matt Bryant to back them up.
Fresh from a career best 6-25, Bryant will handle the spinning duties for what will be his debut for the first XI.
“I know he’s been working really hard on his bowling and trying to nail down a first grade spot,” Norvill said of his Old Boys team-mate.
“He’ll bowl in middle overs and try and tie down the runs.”
With only four frontline bowlers, Norvill will have to find another 10 overs somewhere. That may mean he rolls the arm over.
”We’ve got Lachie Barton as well. He bowls good little medium pacers,” he said.
Tom Fitzgerald could also be good for a few overs although Norvill hasn’t really seen him bowl.
He singled out his Narrabri counterpart Lachlan Cameron and keeper-batsmen Coby Cornish as key wickets having played alongside them recently for Central North. Cameron starred on the final day and batted the best Norvill said he’s ever seen him bat.
”He’s always a danger,” he said.
Conversely Fitzgerald is “in some rare touch at the moment”.
“At that level of cricket, you’re always looking for one of the top four to bat deep and score big. He’s been doing that for his club side,” Norvill said.
“(But) Everyone in the top six is capable of a big score.”
The Tamworth Blues will also be in action in the Connolly Cup.
They travel out to Narrabri to play newcomers Pilliga.
