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Sportsmans may face tough start in Geraldton cricket with Wanderers match tomorrow after loss to Towns

Victor TantiGeraldton Guardian
Brady Collins bowls towards Clint Yeates last round.
Camera IconBrady Collins bowls towards Clint Yeates last round. Credit: Colin Sherman/Colin Sherman

Sportsmans are at risk of starting the 2021-22 Geraldton Bendigo Bank Cricket League season with successive losses.

Last week at Wonthella, they lost to Towns by 46 runs, and tomorrow they face a confident Wanderers at GBSC1.

New captain Riley Barham, injured in the representative game against Joondalup, is likely to sit out again, and last week’s stand-in skipper, Clint Yeates, is definitely unavailable.

Last week’s Sportsmans team was the weakest the club has fielded since the early 1990s, with six B-grade or fringe players and recalled super-vet Nic Rafanelli.

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Yeates did not bag the pitch for the low-scoring match and believes there will be a more experienced side for Wanderers.

He said paceman Ethan Johnson, recruited from Towns, had a promising debut.

“Don’t think the pitch was to blame, just the first game for most players on both teams so good to get it out of the way — there’ll be a few team changes for tomorrow I’m sure,” Yeates said.

“I didn’t think Ethan was at 100 per cent but was exceptional early and again when he finished his spell — I’m looking forward to seeing him at 100 per cent.”

The other game is at the Rec where Towns, coming off a win, meet Chapman Valley-Northampton who had the round one bye.

Towns are favoured especially as harvest reduces CVN’s selection options. In the Young Motors Women’s Series, Towns play Wanderers at GBSC3 in the match of the day.

Wanderers are coming off a big win against Sportsmans while Towns lost at the death to CVN.

As defending premiers, Towns won’t want another setback but captain Pam Micke said there were positives from last week’s loss.

“Our batting wasn’t strong but I was encouraged by our fielding and bowling which held Chapman Valley-Norths to a low score and the game went to the final over,” Micke said. “Diranee Kirby and Shannon Stubbs did bat well and made most of our runs but we will make some changes depending on who’s available.”

At GBSC4, CVN play Sportsmans. CVN will be inspired by their narrow win over Towns, which seemed unlikely until captain Kylie Bremner seized the day.

Sportsmans were thumped last week by Wanderers but will aim to show they are better than that.

B-grade: Spo v Wan (Wonthella); CVN v Don (Northampton); BP v Twn (Muir).

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