Danny Flemming and Steve Newman have both been selected in the NSW Waratahs’ Over 45s, while fellow Tamworthian Donna Follington is on board as team manager.

The two allrounders were selected late last year  at trials in Thornton and are on their way today with the first ball to be bowled on Sunday.

Both formerly played for the NSW Country Cyclones, who are not in the tournament any more.

That means that Flemming is making his debut for NSW, while Newman is an old hand.

He has been part of the titles on seven occasions, coaching for the first time last year before picking the willow up again for this season.

Last year the NSW Blues won the national title while the Waratahs were beaten in the semi.

This year there will be five sides in the O45 competition, with everyone playing each other twice before the finals, and all in eight days.

“Our goal is to make the semis again this year,” Newman said.

“And to make it through the week.”

This year this tournament is the pinnacle of the O45 comp, although an All Stars team will be chosen but will not play.

Next year is the big one.

An Australian team will be selected from the national titles to play in the World Cup.

Flemming and Newman both have that thought in the back of their head, but are concentrating on this year first.

Tamworth players face the huge challenge of having nowhere to play.

The two NSW reps have to travel to Inverell once a month just to get a Super League game, and formerly had to play for Dubbo.

Follington is in the process of applying for grants from different levels of government, as well as asking for support from Cricket Australia.

“I think there would definitely be enough interest to get a comp going if we had a venue,” Newman said.

While the boys may have lost a bit of pace, they have a plan for this week.

“It is all about line and length these days,” Flemming said.

The NSW Waratahs will kick off the tournament against Queensland on Sunday morning before playing Northern Queensland that afternoon.