High hopes for Goldfields in country week cricket titles

There are high hopes the Eastern Goldfields Cricket Association will break a long-standing drought in the WA Senior Country Week Cricket Carnival starting in a fortnight.

Eastern Goldfields last claimed the A-section silverware in 2004.

The 15-year-old losing streak is the association’s longest since the competition began in 1907.

But EGCA country week co-ordinator and team manager Ashley Wojtowicz believes his star-studded team has the firepower to claim the bragging rights at this year’s event.

The squad dominated by all-rounders and led by Great Boulder’s Bevan Bennell boasts the top-five batsmen so far in the association’s 2019-20 season.

That includes Chris Cole, who is leading the charge with 468 runs for an average of 52 and Matt Carter, who has been in searing form with 427 runs at an average of 44.44.

That comes after 10 innings with both players notching up strike rates of more than 158.

The side also contains four of the top-10 leading wicket takers and there is the possibility of new recruits being ushered in by the competition’s start.

It marks a dramatic turnaround for the association that six weeks ago put out a desperate call for more players to nominate while on the verge of being forced to pull out the B-section side.

Wojtowicz yesterday told the Kalgoorlie Miner he felt the team was well poised to put in a good performance.

“If we don’t have any pull-outs, it’s the best team I reckon we’ve taken on paper for some time,” he said.

“We bat down to 10 and we’ve literally got 10 bowlers — four of them are opening bowlers.”

The team also includes new North Kalgoorlie recruit Phil Walshaw, who made a stunning EGCA debut last month.

If we don’t have any pull-outs, it’s the best team I reckon we’ve taken on paper for some time

Walshaw was unplayable, toppling five of Hannans’ top-seven batsmen to finish with 6-17 from seven overs.

Before his recruitment, Walshaw played in the first-grade premier cricket competition for Mt Lawley — two rungs below State level.

Michael Worthington is also a notable nomination, piling on 167 runs with the bat in just four outings for an average of 41.75.

Wojtowicz said the B-section side, being led by country week veteran Jonathan Brodala, was also looking strong.

“They have some Kalgoorlie products that have been playing A-grade all year, so that’s quite a strong side as well,” he said.

EGCA’s A-section were knocked out in the semifinals last year. They will open this year’s campaign when they square up to West Pilbara on January 19 before playing Upper Great Southern in the second round the next day and Busselton Margaret River on January 22.