With the Gurney brothers, Andrew Brown and Mick Curtale in their line-up, Centennials Bulls pack arguable the most dangerous batting line-up in the Royal Hotel Cup.
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However, CYMS skipper Chris Novak said the club was bringing all their guns to the table at Wade Park this Friday night to try and take down the reigning premiers.
Maquee player Angus Le Lievre will again make the trip from Canberra to Orange, hopeful to play his first game with brother Hugh in green and golds for the season after their first-round game was washed out.
He’ll be joined by the returning Andrew Henry and “evergreen” orthodox spinner Al Dhatt to take on Novak’s former side.
Henry hasn’t played for CYMS this season due to other commitments, but Novak said he was hoping the swashbuckling batter could do some damage to the Wade Park fence.
“He’s a very good hard-hitting batsman, the last time he played in a Twenty20 he hit 30-odd and we’d hope he can do that or more again,” he said.
He bowls that really good line that’s hard to get away.
- Chris Novak on Al Dhatt
Novak said Henry’s experience would be invaluable.
“He’s one of the more experienced guys and has played a lot of cricket in Broken Hill and Melbourne and elsewhere,” he said.
Dhatt would also be a big contributor for CYMS with ball in hand, Novak said.
“He bowls that really good line that’s hard to get away,” he said.
Starting will be important for CYMS with Curtale and both Gurney brothers in the top four.
“Mick Curtale’s a sensations batsmen and if he gets going you can get very behind very quickly,” Novak said.
Young pace bowler Tom Wilson will also play for CYMS, with and is expected to be thrown the ball during the middle stretch to get some “good fast overs” down to the Bulls’ batters.
Despite two weeks off competition in the Orange District Cricket Association first grade and not being scheduled for last week’s Cup game, Novak said his side were "biting at the proverbial bit” to get back onto the field.
“We’re fresh, eager, keen – all of us have been hanging out talking about longing to get back out there,” he said.
CYMS are hoping the same fate of another postponed Royal Hotel Cup match doesn’t befall them after their round one game against Bathurst City was washed out last month, and is set to be played on December 12.
This Wednesday night’s game between Kinross and St Pats was also moved to November 21 after rain earlier in the week.
Friday night’s Royal Hotel Cup game kicks off from 7pm at Wade Park.
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