In the days leading up to the start of the 2023/24 Bathurst and Orange Inter District Cricket competition, we will bringing you all the information you need to know about the eight teams set to take part.
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From new signings to the always-popular ladder predications, how this season will play out is anybody's guess.
With ORC and Centennials Bulls no longer in the competition, half the league will play finals, so let's give it our best shot to figure out who those teams will be.
Orange City are used to winning premierships.
Which is why a seventh place finish in 2022/23 came as such a shock to the Warriors.
But with a bolstered bowling line-up, first grade skipper Ed Morrish believes they've got what it takes to improve on that four-win campaign.
"Our mindset is the same every year. We put ourselves in the position to win a comp. If you don't have winning a comp in your mind from the start, there's no real point in playing," he said.
"The first goal is to win enough games to make the finals. That's what we've always said to each other. You got to do the hard work first and get yourself in a position to win the comp."
Although they're anything but new faces to the club, the return of Jarryd Seib and Brett Causer from a season-ending injury was welcome news to the Warriors captain.
"Having Brett back, I can't understate what a big boost that is," Morrish said.
"Not just for his cricket ability but having him back in the group. He's the bloke who picks everyone up constantly throughout the game.
"Instead of only having a couple of us older blokes and a bunch of young kids, having a couple older blokes who have won comps, they're the types of blokes you want when the game is on the line."
But bowling will only get you so far.
That's why the addition of former St Ives Wahroonga player James Goldston-Morris could be the key to City's success.
So who does Morrish believe will play a part in bringing the club back to the top?
Their early season squad consists of: Brett Causer, Tom Markey, James Goldston-Morris, Shaun Grenfell, Edward Morrish, Dan Burchmore, Lawson Hamling, Steven Sharp, Jarryd Seib, Brad Johnson, Tynan Southcombe, Hayden Griffith, Tim Hunt and Shaun Churchill.
With all this said, where do we see Orange City at the end of the season? We're predicting a 7th place finish.
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Riley Krause
I am a senior journalist for the Central Western Daily. A jack of all trades, I cover everything from sport, to human interest stories and crime. Drop me an email at riley.krause@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I am a senior journalist for the Central Western Daily. A jack of all trades, I cover everything from sport, to human interest stories and crime. Drop me an email at riley.krause@austcommunitymedia.com.au
