BE READY: Orange's Josh Sands will need to be in form with bat and ball if his side wants to topple Blue Mountains on Saturday. Photo: STEVE GOSCH 1006sgcrick5
ORANGE will be desperate to record its first win of the 2012-13 representative season come this weekend’s President’s Cup, but if the Trent Colley-led unit thought a win was a given against the Blue Mountains, it can think again.
The relative minnow’s of both the Mitchell Cricket Council and Western Zone, the Blue Mountains will come out against Orange at Bathurst’s Showground on Saturday not just ready to compete, but ready to win.
Blue Mountains manager David Redden was backing his team’s ability ahead of the MCC’s representative selection trial.
But admits a first round match-up with Orange would provide his squad with a massive litmus test.
“Trent (Colley) will go on the attack but we’re ready for that,” Redden said.
“We won’t play negative cricket. At this level it’s more than about batting and bowling, it’s about what goes on between the ears. We can win it, but everything needs to go our way.”
Redden has seen the 12-man squad Orange has picked ahead of the President’s Cup.
He rated bowler Chris Novak and noted players like all-rounders Josh Sands and Stuart Naden as well as Colley already had runs on the board for 2012-13.
“The last time we played Orange Dave Boundy carted us all around the park, too. (Matt) Findlay has scored runs on two days last weekend and from what I’ve been told Liam Gough was hooping it around against Dubbo on Sunday,” he said.
But, again, the Blue Mountains will be ready.
“James Heath, he is a Western Zone bowler,” Redden said.
“We’re a tight knit group and got serious about playing rep cricket a couple of years ago.
“I know how hard Orange has prepared. They’re capable of winning it, but we like playing in Bathurst. We play all of our representative cricket there because we’re not allowed to play on synthetic wickets. It’ll be like a home game for us.”
Redden also said Danny Brown was capable of making Mitchell selection while the side’s skipper Andrew Killion can hold a bat admirably.
The Blue Mountains are yet to win a President’s Cup.
Orange has won five, but not one since victory in 2009-10.
The 2012-13 President’s Cup begins at 9.30am on Saturday morning with Orange tackling the Blue Mountains and Bathurst meeting Mudgee in the first game.
The two winners will play-off for the Cup on Sunday.