The wily CYMS veteran will come out of retirement - again - at the age of 48 to play in the green and golds Royal Hotel Cup team this summer.

The veteran spinner laughs when talking about his latest comeback, but a short stint bowling against some of the players he coaches in the juniors and then a brief appearance at CYMS' senior training got him back in the swing of things for 2021-22.

And now he's eager to see if he's still got what it takes to tie-down some of the region's best bats.

"I bowled at a few of the first grade guys in the nets and they said the ball still looked like it was coming out ok and they asked if I'd have a game," Dhatt said.

"I've still got the itch. Let's see if the body holds up."

This summer's Royal Hotel Cup kicks off with a double-header on Sunday, Dhatt named as the obvious old head in a CYMS team not short on veterans.

Dave Neil will join Mick Delaney in the side's top order while skipper Hugh Le Lievre has a mountain of experience in his kit bag.

That vast cricketing knowledge is the obvious gulf when a side like CYMS takes on Kinross.

But Dhatt says what the students lack in experience they well and truly make up for with enthusiasm. Miles and miles of it.

"They're very energetic," he said." They're always great in the field and with the ball. From our side of things, it'll be more tactical. We'll try and set the right fields and slow things down ... and give the ball some nice juicy flight."

Dhatt last played with CYMS' Royal Hotel Cup squad in 2019-20 and he says there's a notable shift in desire at the club this year.

"I think I've seen the culture shift; There's a lot of hard work being put in at training. The boys go out there and compete," he added.

CYMS takes on Kinross from 10am on Sunday at Wade Park at 10am. Cavaliers host ORC in the second game from 2pm.

At Bathurst, City Colts takes on Centennials and Bathurst City plays Lithgow, kicking off the Twenty20 season.

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