RUNS ON THE BOARD: Matt Findlay will return to club cricket today after two weeks of representative commitments. Photo: JUDE KEOGH 1113ria5
OPENING batsman Matt Findlay is hoping Orange City can continue its winning start in the Orange District Cricket Association first grade competition today.
Orange City has won its opening two one-day matches against defending premiers Centrals and Kinross and sits on top of the competition ladder.
Findlay was a key part of the win against Centrals scoring an unbeaten 81.
Since then he has been busy with representative duties, playing for Orange and then Mitchell.
Despite his success with the bat for Orange, scoring 80 in the President’s Cup against Blue Mountains, and playing for Mitchell in the Western Zone carnival last weekend, Findlay was not feeling great ahead of today’s game.
“It feels like I’ve forgotten how to bat in a week,” Findlay laughed.
“I hadn’t been in the nets for a while and the ball looks like a marble coming down at me.”
Still, playing for Mitchell was worthwhile for Findlay.
“The experience was invaluable, especially playing with guys like [Stephen] Knight, Jameel Qureshi and Trent [Colley],” he said.
Findlay will be one of three players coming back to City with captain Dave Boundy back after a week away and Lincoln Duncan playing his first club game of the season.
“Hopefully the three of us coming back in won’t disrupt the winning momentum,” Findlay joked.
If Orange City wins, Findlay knows it will have earned it as it will have beaten perennial heavyweights Cavaliers.
“It’s always tough against Cavaliers,” he said.
“They’ve lost a few blokes but that core group of Richie [Venner], Chris [Martin], Stu [Middleton], Liam [Gough]) and Brad [Wright] is still there.”
Cavaliers are also unbeaten this season but have only played one match.
They won their season opener against CYMS by six wickets.
Since then they had a general bye for the President’s Cup carnival and the regular bye last weekend.
Findlay said that won’t prevent Cavaliers from playing good cricket.
“Hopefully it’s close. I like playing in close games but it would be good to get a convincing win up,” he said.
“[Cavaliers are] a good measure of where your team is at.”
Orange City and Cavaliers will play at Riawena from 1pm today.