Cricket Albury-Wodonga coach Trent Ball has started the mind games leading up to Sunday’s Commercial Club Cup, saying he hates the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association and hopes to play it in the final of the Twenty20 competition.
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The two associations have shared a long, and at times spiteful, representative relationship in the past.
CAW is drawn to play Country Week winner Benalla at Xavier Oval for the right to play the winner of the WDCA and Wagga clash at Alexandra Park.
The grand final will be at Xavier Oval at 2.30pm.
Ball said his ill feeling towards the WDCA stemmed from a representative game at the Norm Minns Oval several years ago.
“There’s a bit of rivalry between everyone,” Ball said.
“I’d love to play Wang in the final.
“I hate them.
“We went down there for an Ensign Cup game a few years ago and they didn’t open the changerooms for us.
“We had to sit on the ground.
“When we play at Xavier they can sit down at the school.
“I’ve got a long memory.”
The Commercial Club Cup replaces the defunct 50-over Ensign Cup and has been in the pipeline since November.
There will be prizemoney for the winner and runner-up.
The BDCA will take momentum into the cup after defeating Yarra Valley in Bundoora in the Division 3 final at Country Week earlier this month.
The WDCA played in the same division, winning one of four games, while CAW won two and lost two in Division 4.
Ball said Wagga would be an unknown quantity.
“Going off Country Week, Benalla’s probably got the strongest team,” he said.
“I know a couple of their blokes.
“(Sam) Harris and (Andrew) Squires are good players and they’ll be suited to Twenty20.
“Wagga’s best 11 will be really competitive.
“Hopefully we will get a few people there.”
CAW has been dealt a blow, with Rhys Jones and Nathan Thompson pulling out of the squad, bringing it back to 15.
Ball said while he would love to have the likes of Robbie Jackson, Luke Restall and Steve Wood in the line-up, he was content with the side picked.
“It would be good if we had everyone available for this one, but I think the team’s good enough,” he said.
CAW’s clash against the BDCA will be its first senior representative game on the Border this year.