Former Orange District Cricket Association guns Michael Delaney and Brendan Roweth have done massive things for Ginninderra Cricket Club since coming together at the club, helping turn the Tigers’ fortunes around in the space of two summers.
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As player-coach and captain, respectively, Delaney and Roweth have helped transform the Tigers from ACT Premier Cricket easybeats into genuine title contenders, breaking a 24-year two-day finals drought in the process last season.
They won’t be working together in their return to Orange on Friday night though, quite the opposite in fact, they’ll be doing everything they can to ensure the other fails.
Delaney and Roweth will both turn out as guest players for their respective junior clubs, CYMS and Centrals, at Wade Park in what shapes as a cracking Royal Hotel Cup fixture.
While Delaney was one of the heroes in CYMS’ 2015-16 ODCA premiership, it’s been almost a decade since Roweth last played for Centrals and it’s fair to say he’s looking forward to his return.
“We played a lot of representative cricket together in juniors and a little bit against each other in seniors, it’s actually been good not playing against him when he’s bowling quick,” Roweth laughed.
“It should be a bit of fun, it’s actually just a happy coincidence we’re both playing [on Friday], it wasn’t a plan or anything.”
Roweth explained the biggest drawcard for his return was being able to take the field alongside his older brother Wes again.
“Wes let me know he was back playing so I said if there was ever a chance for me to stick my hand up, to let me know and Jameel (Qureshi, Centrals’ other guest) isn’t available this weekend,” he said.
“It’ll be good to play with Wes again, and with Centrals. It’s been a long time, more than 10 years I think. Plus, playing under lights at Wade Park is always fun.”
Centrals are winless on the bottom of the standings but can, mathematically, make the finals with two huge back-to-back wins in the last preliminary games, should a few other results go their way as well.
CYMS, on the other hand, will virtually ensure themselves a play-offs spot with a win, which would be their third straight of this year’s tournament.
Friday night’s clash kicks off at 6.30pm.