CAW yesterday announced a squad of 13 it hopes can win Division 4 at the February 13-17 tournament, with star Lavington batsman James Tonkin to captain the side and St Patrick’s grand final hero Luke Restall his deputy.

The absence of North Albury master blaster David Farrell and star Wodonga skipper Robbie Jackson, both unavailable, is a big blow but Ball believes the squad has all bases covered.

“We are very happy with the players we’ve got,” he said yesterday.

“We’ll probably have a training session next Wednesday and the one after that.

“Everyone can contribute.

“Me and Plum (Pat Plummer) are the only ones who can’t bowl.

“We won’t have to rely on one or two players.

“Hopefully they all have one day out each and it will all click.”

East Albury bowlers Brad Neyland and Cameron White, who have taken 32 Provincial wickets between them this season, have been rewarded, while there is plenty of depth in the batting department with the likes of Ball, Liam Scammell, Tonkin, Restall, Josh Mallichan and Greg Daniel all capable with the willow.

Ball said the players’ ultimate aim was to eventually see the association back at Provincial level.

“There are a lot of knockers of Country Week for things that have happened in the past but that’s the past and now it’s time to move on and start looking at getting our competition back to where it belongs, in the Provincial division, and it starts this year,” he said.

“The photo of Garry Purtell on shoulders after winning the Provincial final years and years ago is a picture that sticks in my mind a lot.

“Seeing us in Division 4, or even not being entered, is sad from where we used to be and the players who are going down this year have a chance to do something special and win down there and start our way back up the divisions.”

CAW will join Sunraysia, Horsham, Grassmere, Central Gippsland and Shepparton in the lowest division, while Benalla will be in Division 2 and Wangaratta Division 3.

CAW, which won two of four games in Division 4 last year, starts its Country Week campaign against Sunraysia at Bill Lawry Oval in Northcote on February 13.

SQUAD: Trent Ball, Liam Scammell, James Tonkin (c), Luke Restall (vc), Josh Mallichan, Greg Daniel, Paul Coughlin, Pat Plummer, Grant Gardiner, Brendan Klein-Boonschate, Cameron White, Brad Neyland, Dave Tassell.