THE cricketing stage doesn't get much bigger than the Sydney Cricket Ground.
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For many in the Border Bullets squad, Sunday's Regional Bash finals are shaping up to be the biggest games they've ever played.
And though excitement about the trip was building at the team's final training session on Wednesday night, batsman Jack Craig is confident the Bullets can handle the pressure.
“It's a big stage, and I think that finals atmosphere is really starting to kick in,” he said.
“But we've been training the house down, we've become a pretty tight knit unit and everyone is raring to go.
“It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to play on the SCG and we want to make the most of it.”
The fabled ground is a far cry from the venue of their previous triumphs, Bilson Park, but Craig said the Bullets had done their homework before they head up the Hume.
“It's obviously a much bigger ground than Bilson Park,” he said.
“In that respect we've just got to play smart, a lot of twos and threes.
“We're not going to be able to smack it over the fence like we can in Albury, but we'll still look to play our shots.
“The bigger ground means the field will be a little bit more spread out, so there is still room to be aggressive.
“We just have to play a smarter brand of cricket.”
Fresh from an English summer playing alongside James and Andrew Weighell for Stokesley, Craig said his year of cricket had been a strong learning experience.
“They play a lot of T20 cricket over there, and have a fifteen over competition,” he said.
“I haven't had to worry about a pre-season, I landed early in September, just in time for the first game.
“I feel like my form is pretty good at the moment, I'm playing aggressively with the bat.”
Craig wasn't the only one feeling confident, with the batsman praising the training efforts of the entire team.
“Everyone has stepped up,” he said.
“Trent Ball has been super in the nets, we haven't gotten anything past him.
“The coaching staff have done a great job of bringing us all together as well.
“We know exactly what to expect from each other when we're out there.”
Craig would also bring some inside knowledge on their Orana opponents to the table, having had a look at their attack while representing Riverina.
“I got a little bit of a look at their attack, they looked consistent but I don't think we'll be troubled by outright pace,” he said.
“I'd back Matthew Jaensch and Cameron White to be a little more explosive.”
