South Coast’s representative focus turns to the Twenty20 format after falling at the final hurdle in the Burns Cup competition on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Chasing Southern Highlands’ total of 121 at Berry, South Coast crashed to be all out for 71 in the final, in just 32 overs.
“It was disappointing,” captain Brett Gilly said.
“We just couldn’t get going with the bat, we couldn’t put any partnerships together.
“It was a total we really thought we could get, but it wasn’t to be.”
Instead, South Coast will chase glory in the Regional Bash and a spot at the SCG
Their first match will be against ACT – their NSW Country Championships teammates turned Twenty20 foes – next weekend.
The South Coast Crew take on ACT Aces at Manuka Oval on Sunday, before Central West Wranglers and Orana Outlaws in Orange on November 19, the winner advancing to the semi-finals in Sydney.
“We know it’s going to be a tough trip, ACT are always hard to beat,” Gilly said.
“But we’ll have a pretty good team going down there, I think we can be very competitive and hopefully set us up for the trip to Orange.”
In the meantime, selectors will consider the make-up of the Southern-ACT team for the NSW Country titles, which the South Coast Association will host next month.
South Coast marched into the Burns Cup final on Saturday, opener Rohit Sharma tearing through the Shoalhaven batting order, finishing with 4-16 off five overs.
The Rail’s Mark Damoiseaux was also a standout, hitting 52 and taking 1-15 off five.
Pushpinder Singh and Andy Twyford each made 24, as South Coast finished 9-183, before bowling Shoalhaven out for 128.
The Burns Cup campaign comes before the NSW Country Championships will be held at South Coast venues next month.
Western Division, which has been shifted into the northern pool this summer in a swap with Central Coast, qualified from the southern section last season.
Southern-ACT, Riverina and Western each finished the tournament with two wins before countback was used.
Illawarra failed to win a match last season and missed out on a place at the SCG in the Twenty20 Regional Bash last week, winning one of their three matches.
Because of the Burns Cup competition, there was a general bye in South Coast first grade, with Lake Ilawarra the only unbeaten team after two rounds.
REGIONAL BASH
Thunder Conference, Sunday
ACT ACES v SOUTH COAST CREW at Manuka Oval
NSW COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Southern Pool, November 10-12. Round one
ILLAWARRA v CENTRAL COAST at Gerry Emery Oval, SOUTHERN-ACT v RIVERINA at Howard Fowles Oval
Round two
ILLAWARRA v SOUTHERN-ACT at Keith Grey Oval, RIVERINA v CENTRAL COAST at Cavalier Park
Round three
SOUTHERN-ACT v CENTRAL COAST at Geoff Shaw Oval, ILLAWARRA v RIVERINA at Croome Road Oval.
Final at Bradman Oval Bowral, November 26: Winner of Southern pool v winner of Northern pool (Newcastle, Western, Central Northern, North Coast)
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
