Cricket Albury-Wodonga has ushered in a new era as it looks to reclaim the crown as Riverina’s strongest association.
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Selectors made four changes, albeit largely injury or unavailability-enforced, for the final Regional Bash preliminary matches on Sunday.
The Bullets were humbled by Wagga on October 22, with the teams set to face the others in Griffith pool – Murrumbidgee Rangers and Southern Riverina Vipers – in Griffith.
The pool winner will advance to the Thunder Conference final at the SCG on December 10.
The Bullets won the inaugural tournament two years ago, but the loss to Wagga could have torpedoed their hopes.
Wagga also ended CAW’s rep stint last season.
“There’s probably a bit of a change of the guard, there’s some young guys that deserve the right to play,” selector Heath Naughton said.
“They’ve been in some good form and I guess we’re going to reward them.”
North Albury captain Ash Borella, Lavington opening batsman Matt Tom, Lavington all-rounder Nathan Brown and dashing Belvoir coach Josh Warren are the new players.
Alex Popko, Drew Cameron (injury), join Nat Sariman (family reason) and Chris Galvin out of the team.
Borella just couldn’t be overlooked after he was a surprise omission.
He leads the run-scoring with 249, posting a century and 78 against Wodonga Raiders and Albury respectively since the first rep match.
The left-hander was also the top run-getter for the past two seasons.
Interestingly, Bullets’ coach Robbie Jackson told him at training on Wednesday night he doesn’t want him to make runs, he expects it.
“Any time I go out to bat, I expect to do well, it’s just part and parcel of what I’ve done in the past and what I know I can do and what they know I can do,” Borella said.
One of the criticisms of any selection panel, in any sport, is it doesn’t pick form players, but that argument doesn’t stack up, at least in the batting, with North Albury Ash Hulme (third) the only player in the top eight not in the team.
“I’d like to see Matt Tom and Nathan Brown, these type of players, playing for the next six or seven years,” Naughton said.
CAW suffered one of its darkest days against Wagga, capitulating for only 97.
“We’ve probably got to be a bit smarter when we lose wickets,” Naughton said.
The team is: Matt Armstrong ©, Andrew Weighell, Borella, Greg Daniel, Jack Craig, Warren, Daryl Tuffey, Cameron White, Ryan Brown, Nathan Brown, Callum Langlands and Tom.
