Hugh Le Lievre doesn't know how many more opportunities he'll have to represent Western Zone, so he is determined to make every shot he does get count.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The CYMS captain was the lone Orange player picked to represent the west at the Country Championships next month.
"I'm 33 this season and you're not sure how many more of these opportunities you're going to get given," he said.
"When you get to my age you really just enjoy it because you know you're closer to the end of your playing days than your start. Some of these young guys coming through are just phenomenal to to sit back and watch them go about their business."
After winning three titles in the space of five seasons between 2012 and 2017, there has been little for Western Zone fans to cheer about at the Country Championship.
But Le Lievre believes they have the team to snap that cold streak.
"It's a pretty red-hot team and certainly I feel a very well balanced and talented squad. Hopefully we can put those performances on the board," he said.
"I hope I can play a bit of a role with my bowling throughout the middle overs, bowling in tandem with the spinners and trying to keep it tight and pick up a few wickets.
"I don't anticipate having much of a role with the bat as we bat one to 11. To get a chance and be the only guy from Orange in what is a strong team dominated by Dubbo and Bathurst is pretty cool."
Western will play Illawarra, Riverina, and ACT Southern Districts at the three-day Southern Pool carnival at Shoalhaven from February 4-6 and Qureshi is determined to do the region proud.
Dubbo all-rounder and former Australian Indigenous representative Ben Patterson is one of the players set to line up for Western again after a stint away from home.
Patterson is back with club side Dubbo CYMS after spending time in NSW Premier Cricket in Sydney and his impact has been immediate.
In one simply incredible individual showing prior to Christmas Patterson blasted 101 not out from 39 balls and took 5/24 in the one game
While Le Lievre is the only Orange player in the main squad, Patterson is one of six Dubbo-based players in the squad alongside vice-captain and former NSW Country representative Mitch Bower, Marty Jeffrey, Mat Skinner, Ben Wheeler and Brock Larance, who is also back after a season in Sydney.
Gilgandra's Matt Everett, a former opening bat partner of David Warner at Randwick-Petersham, is also in after impressing with a half-century in his one Western Zone Premier League (WZPL) match for Dubbo earlier in the month.
As two-time defending champions in the WZPL, Bathurst is also well represented in the squad.
Nic Broes is in after a stint playing in Canberra while Ryan Peacock, Connor Slattery, and Mitch Taylor will also pull on a baggy blue alongside Qureshi while Orange all-rounder Hugh Le Lievre and Parkes quick Brent Tucker round out the squad.
Dubbo duo Bailey Edmunds and Tom Coady are among four reserves for the squad alongside Bathurst young gun Bailey Brien and Orange's Ed Morrish.
This is Le Lievre's second stint in the team and believes last year's experience will benefit him this time around.
"I've got that reference point of how much higher the standard is and like any level of cricket the game can go 100 overs so as an individual within the team you have to take the chances and opportunities that present themselves," he added.
"As a country cricketer, these are the types of teams that you want to try and make because the standard's so much higher and you really do get to challenge yourself and see where you're at and that's what it's all about. Cricket is a team sport and we're all doing it for fun outside of our day jobs so to get a chance like this is really great."
Western starts its Southern Pool carnival against Illawarra at the Bernie Reagan Sports Ground on February 4.
All Country Championship matches are one-day 50-over contests.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.centralwesterndaily.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Catch up on our news headlines at Google News