CALLED UP: Kinross’ Tom Bristow will play for Orange Colts against Mudgee at Wade Park tomorrow. Photo: NICK MCGRATH
ORANGE under 21s co-coach Steve Warrington is quietly confident a change in personnel, as well as attitude, for tomorrow’s Mitchell Cricket Council colts minor semi-final against Mudgee will have his side back on track to defend its title.
Skipper Hamish Finlayson comes back into the line-up after sitting out injured against Lithgow, while Kinross all-rounder Tom Bristow has also been brought into Orange’s 12-man squad.
Deciding against bringing in under 16s skipper Charlie Litchfield, Warrington said Bristow will add plenty to the colts first XI.
“Tommy gives us another bowling and batting option,” Warrington said.
Bristow, who will assume the captaincy of Kinross for the new calendar year, said he was excited about the opportunity.
“I got asked a couple of weeks ago but I couldn’t make it” the 17-year-old said of his selection.
“I’m keen to play this weekend.”
The defending champions, Orange comes into the finals on the back of two losses - a 96-run loss to Bathurst and a four-run upset at the hands of Lithgow on home soil.
The final-round loss at Wade Park prompted a brutal post-match spray from Warrington’s counterpart Steve Ryan, with the co-coach warning heads may roll in the wake of the shock defeat to the lowly ranked Lithgow side.
Warrington was confident Orange’s colts will bounce back.
“We’ve had a couple of team meetings and looked at where we made our mistakes and how to fix them,” Warrington said.
“Against Bathurst, I won’t say it was complacency, we were beaten by a better side, but Lithgow, we probably took them a little lightly and we paid the price.”
“Look, we’re quietly confident we can go all the way ... if we do the simple things right.”
Warrington said his side had been working on shot selection and on scoring in partnerships after dismally failing in both areas in the losses to Bathurst and Lithgow.
He added a stronger bowling line-up will also boost the side’s confidence.
“The last time we played Mudgee we had no Jono Warren, no Ed Morrish and Liam Gough didn’t bowl ... we’re confident the bowlers can get the job done,” he said.
Orange takes on Mudgee from 10am tomorrow at Wade Park.
Bathurst hosts Lithgow in the MCC’s major semi-final with the winner set to host this season’s colts grand final.
ORANGE: Hamish Finlayson, John Warrington, James Ryan, Liam Gough, Matt Corben, Adam Cowden, Max Dodds, Stu Naden, Jake Pauletto, Ed Morrish, Jono Warren, Tom Bristow.