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Illawarra's representative cricket coach Dean Merola is on the verge of securing two high-profile international players to line up for the association as early as Sunday week.
Wollongong products Trent Johnston and Phil Jaques are firmly in Merola's cross-hairs as he searches for a marquee player for Illawarra's Kingsgrove Sports Twenty20 Cup campaign.
The competition allows each team to field an "invitational" player.
Merola said Johnston, who captained Ireland and previously represented NSW in the Sheffield Shield, has indicated his desire to make a guest appearance for Illawarra.
Jaques is also a chance but is yet to confirm.
"Jaques is a bit non-committal but Johno was pretty keen," Merola said.
"I think it would be good and might even get a few more people down there."
Merola is hoping Johnston will slot into the squad as a "local", which would leave the door open for Illawarra to chase another marquee player.
Preparations are heating up for the start of the representative cricket season.
The Sydney-based Twenty20 Cup kicks off on Sunday week as Illawarra host a double-header against Eastern Suburbs and Randwick Petersham at North Dalton Park.
Illawarra staged a trial game against Bankstown Bulldogs on Wednesday and lost the 20-over match by 31 runs. The Bulldogs posted 5-161 and the host team could only reach 7-130 in the chase, with David Murphy scoring 42.
Merola admits Illawarra's fielding needs some work before next Sunday.
"We dropped a couple of catches, I think we were a bit cold in the field," he said.
"We haven't done a great deal of work and I think that showed.
"The ground fielding was OK but catching probably cost us in the big picture.
"I thought we bowled OK ... we only bowled two wides in the innings from memory."
Merola will pick his strongest possible XI from a squad of 16 for the opening Twenty20 round next week.
Illawarra will play another trial against Sutherland on Wednesday night where Merola plans to select his final team.