Cavaliers’ Josh Doherty is looking to press claims to Western Zone selection in his two games with the Western Wranglers at the Plan B Regional Bash in Bathurst this weekend.
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But the all-rounder will have to do it nearly on one leg, with Doherty injuring his ankle during his stint in the UK with Bilton Cricket Club in Yorkshire.
However, that hasn’t stopped him from playing so far, with him playing back-to-back Cavliers and President’s Cup games last weekend in Orange, and he would have played in round one had games not been washed out.
Doherty has picked up syndesmosis, which he explains is the fancy word for a high ankle sprain, but it’s forcing him to make heavy use of club captain Matt Corben’s physiotherapy skills.
“He’s been strapping my ankle and I’ve been popping a few painkillers and off I go,” he said.
It was really, really good, hopefully I’ll bring a lot back to Cavaliers and to Orange and pass some of that knowledge on.
- Josh Doherty
There’s the threat rain may again have an impact on Doherty’s season, with the heavens predicted to open over the Twenty20 tournament weekend.
It would be the second year in a row the Regional Bash was washed out, and while it would be “disappointing” to miss out for another year, Doherty will still look to soak up what he can from some of the best players in the region.
“Jameel [Qureshi] has obviously been a quality player for a long time and I’ll try and learn what I can from his captaincy, but it’ll be good playing with Corben and some of the other Orange blokes as well,” he said.
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He is also looking forward to playing against some strong opposition, although noted the Orange Outlaws missing Ben Patterson would be a big blow.
Doherty’s stint in the UK has obviously done him some good, clobbering 59 in last weekend’s President’s Cup match and taking two wickets for Cavaliers despite not getting runs in their first game.
However, he said the ankle injury meant he hadn’t played as well as he’d liked in the UK.
“it sort of stuffed me up a bit and made it hard,” he said.
“I did get to bowl that much and in bowling-friendly conditions that wasn’t great.”
However, he said he learnt a lot, and more importantly had a thoroughly good time.
“It was really, really good, hopefully I’ll bring a lot back to Cavaliers and to Orange and pass some of that knowledge on,” he said.
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