ORANGE will field an almost unchanged line up to take on Mudgee in Sunday’s Mitchell Cricket Council Under 21s match.
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Orange celebrated a six-wicket win over Blue Mountains in the season opener in November.
They then sat out the second round with the bye.
Orange will make one change to the winning combination for Sunday’s game with Ed Morrish unavailable but there is the handy replacement of Western Zone open representative Liam Gough ready to fill the void.
Orange 21s coach Steve Ryan said his team will be confident against Mudgee but not cocky.
Orange took out the 2011-12 title and Ryan said his players know what to do.
“We’ve had them for a couple of years now. They know what to expect from me and Warro (Steve Warrington) as coaches,” Ryan explained.
“They just go out and perform. We don’t put pressure on them.”
Ryan said the players are still aware Mudgee won’t be an easy game.
“There’s a couple of Mudgee players in their open team, guys like Mitchell Hearn and Jacob Edmonds who bowls,” he said.
“Our openers have to see them off and then hopefully we score the runs.”
Ryan said his players have been in good form for the clubs sides in the Orange District Cricket Association season.
This gives him confidence ahead of Sunday’s match.
Even though the ODCA competition had a break during the festive season, the resumes this Saturday which Ryan said is perfect timing.
“Cricket starts back on Saturday. So they’ll have training this week and then Saturday cricket will have them primed for Sunday’s game,” he said.
“Most of them are producing good scores. The bowlers are taking wickets and the batsmen are scoring runs.”
Hamish Finlayson will, again, captain the Orange side in Sunday’s game which will be played in Mudgee.
ORANGE: Hamish Finlayson (c), John Warrington, Adam Cowden, Liam Gough, Jono Warren, Jake Pauletto, Max Dodds, Tom Harbison, Nick Roweth, James Ryan, Stuart Naden.