This is it, Orange’s best chance to beat Dubbo for just the third time in the last decade.
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The Bluebaggers have named a bumper line-up for Sunday’s Western Zone Premier League trip to No.1 Oval while Dubbo, well, from the outside it would seem like the region’s heavyweights are in a bit of strife leading in.
Dubbo skipper Mitch Bower didn’t pull any punches in speaking to the Daily Liberal leading into Sunday’s clash, his side’s second of the summer, the frustrated captain labelling his side “one of the weakest” he can remember being a part of.
Dubbo selectors have been scrambling all week to find players, with a final squad named but not confirmed even as late as early Friday afternoon.
A wealth of talent has left Dubbo in recent seasons and Bower says that’s one reason the side isn’t as strong. But a host of stars have also made themselves unavailable for the clash for various reasons as well.
“It’s one of the weakest Premier League sides I’ve played in, on paper,” Bower said, before suggesting the standard across his entire association has dropped significantly.
“But people have been given an opportunity and it’s up to them to take it. A lot of good players have left and that lowers the standard of the whole competition, not just rep cricket.
“And people aren’t taking big bags of wickets or making lots of runs so people have got to have a look at themselves. Batsmen should be scoring runs and bowlers should be taking wickets.”
Bower, a Dubbo and Western Zone stalwart, said the interest in the game definitely isn’t as high as it once was but added the city can’t just expect to field powerhouse side after powerhouse side.
He and Marty Jeffrey are the only two Western Zone incumbents in the side for Sunday’s game, a massive change compared to years gone by when the Dubbo team near-mirrored the Zone team.
“Jordan Moran has left, Henry Railz has moved to Sydney, Will Lindsay has stayed in Mudgee this year and you go back just a couple of years and Tim Berry moved away and Tim Cox retired,” Bower said.
“Greg Buckley isn’t playing Premier League this season, he’s got a new daughter at home. They’re all Western Zone and higher honour players so you can’t just replace them overnight.
“That’s not saying the young blokes now won’t reach those heights but at this time they don’t have the experience and haven’t done those things so it makes it hard.”
A frustrated Bower added it wasn’t up to him to convince players they should be playing representative cricket on a Sunday although, while ideally club cricketers strive to hit the next level he knows it’s not for everyone.
That’s made the need to replace the likes of Mat Skinner, Ben Patterson, Ben Strachan, Tom Atlee, and Brock Larance so difficult this week.
“It’s all about having fun and if blokes think they’d have more fun at home then they can stay there,” Bower said.
Bailey Edmunds, Jacob Hill and Souths youngster Lachlan Rayner will be tasked with setting the tone with the new ball while Jeffrey, Stuart Naden, Steve Skinner, and Bower provide the spin options.
“The batting looks alright but the bowling is where we’ll struggle,” he said.
“We’ll look to have a lot of sharp, short spells so the batsmen can’t get comfortable. That’s how we’ll look to approach it.
“We’ll always go out there to win but this could be a tough day.”
For Orange Matt Corben, Josh Doherty, Charlie Greer, Fletcher Rose and Ed Morrish have all come into the side, they all missed the Bluebaggers’ Mitchell Cricket Council President’s Cup win over Lithgow last weekend.
The side is in a somewhat rare situation of being undefeated so far this summer, that victory following the outfit’s win over the Blue Mountains.
Play starts 10am at No. 1 on Sunday.
- ORANGE: Daryl Kennewell ©, Matt Corben, Ryan Kurtz, Josh Doherty, Lachlan Coyte, Nick Dunlop, Charlie Greer, Angus Cumming, Fletcher Rose, Ed Morrish, Mitch Black, Zac Reimer
- DUBBO (subject to change): Mitch Bower ©, Marty Jeffrey, Corey McDean, Wayne Dunlop, Thomas Nelson, Ben Wheeler, Stuart Naden, Bailey Edmunds, Jacob Hill, Steve Skinner, Lachlan Rayner, Lee Price