Kookas may be set for the daunting task of toppling Lake Illawarra in the opening round of South Coast Twenty20 fixtures, but captain Craig Bramble believes his team is looking forward to the challenge.
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Given the considerable rain that has fallen in the Illawarra throughout the past few days, a cloud does hover over Saturday’s round of fixtures. However, if the rain clears on Saturday, the two teams will face off as part of a new format, with the Lakers playing Oak Flats immediately after the Kookas clash.
Over at Tom Willougbhy Oval, it will be Shellharbour on double duty, with Ned Taylor’s men playing Kiama/Gerringong before a match with The Rail.
The new competition structure will see each team play a double header at some point throughout the Twenty20 rounds, allowing organisers to compress five matches into four weekends and ensuring each team plays each other once.
Bramble may have preferred a different opening round fixture, but he’s confident his team can come away with a victory in a rematch of last year’s Twenty20 grand final, which was won by the Lakers.
“A couple of years ago we didn’t get to play a full round of Twenty20 matches, which was terrible,” Bramble said. “So the Association is making sure we get to play everybody once in all three formats, which I support.
“Lake will be tough first up. You have to score 150 plus to be competitive against Lake, then you have to try and bowl really well, especially to Kerrod White, and be a bit creative with the bowling changes.”
With the South Coast competition proving extremely close throughout the game’s longer formats, Bramble expects that trend to continue into the shortest version.
“Lake’s obviously going to be the benchmark, but other teams in this format are going to be really competitive.
“I can’t see a real difference between any teams. Shellharbour have some depth, Oak Flats the same, Kiama/Gerringong have some explosive players.
“The Twenty20 format’s a real leveller, anybody can win the competition.”
South Coast Cricket Round Eight - Twenty20
Saturday December 15 12.30pm: LAKE ILLAWARRA v KOOKAS at Howard Fowles Oval, SHELLHARBOUR v KIAMA/GERRINGONG at Tom Willoughby Oval.
Saturday December 15 3.30pm: LAKE ILLAWARRA v OAK FLATS at Howard Fowles Oval, SHELLHARBOUR v THE RAIL at Tom Willoughby Oval.