Wagga Sloggers’ captain Joel Robinson says he took offence at Border Bullets’ selector Trent Ball’s claim that last year’s drought-breaking win was a “fluke”.
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“Oh little bit, yeah,” Robinson said.
“He (Ball) tried to stir the pot. It definitely wasn’t a fluke, if anyone was there to watch the innings of Ethan Bartlett.”
Bartlett ended Cricket Albury-Wodonga’s representative season with a whirlwind 117 from just 56 balls.
Veteran Bullets’ coach Robbie Jackson called it the greatest T20 innings he had seen.
The win ended the border’s decade-long domination of Wagga.
Bartlett won’t play in Sunday’s Regional Bash opener due to his club commitments in Canberra.
“They’d (Bullets) obviously go into the game red-hot favourite,” Robinson said.
“We’re probably leaning towards bowling I’d say, we’re probably a batter of two short.”
The Bullets have never boasted greater depth, with NSW Country paceman Jarryd Hatton and last year’s leading run-scorer, Ash Borella, missing selection.
“The guys who missed out were really disappointed, which was great, because that means it actually means something to them,” selector Heath Naughton said.
“And the guys that got picked, they know they have a responsibility to play well.”
Matt Armstrong will captain the team, with two imports – Wodonga’s Englishman Andrew Weighell and Lavington’s ex-New Zealand Test quick Daryl Tuffey.
“Gee, Tuffey is impressive,” Naughton said.
“The way he trained, you just see his work rate, he steamed in off the long run.
“He wants to be there, which is good, he’ll be good for the comp and just to have around the players, talking to (fellow bowlers) Cameron White, Ryan Brown, that’s what you want.”
At the other end, Callum Langlands will make his debut at 20.
“It’s great, it’s a great honour, obviously it’s not every day you get picked in one of these teams,” he said.
The match is at Albury’s Billson Park from 2pm.
