Albion Park skipper Tom Wilson says his team needs to be on their toes as they get ready to take on Berry-Shoalhaven Heads for the first time this weekend.
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Saturday's clash at Berry Sports Complex will mark the inaugural battle between the two teams, after the Magpies were one of four sides to move across from the Shoalhaven District Cricket Association to South Coast District Association's first grade competition in August. The other outfits to make the transition were Ex-Servos, North Nowra-Cambewarra and Bomaderry.
Albion Park got their first taste of taking on a Shoalhaven side last week, with the Eagles falling to Bomaderry by 53 runs. Wilson now hopes for a reversal in fortune when they take on the Magpies on Saturday.
"Bomaderry proved to be a pretty tough side, so I think Berry will be pretty close to being the same again. Going off the results from the season so far, it looks like they've been pretty competitive with the top teams as well, but we're not too sure on what they're going to bring to the table," he said.
"Last week's game was a bit of a learning curve. We've had a few key outs over the past couple of weeks, so we've had to rely on a few other guys to step up. But the more experience they're getting, the better it is for going into the back end of the season, and in the future seasons as well. We've got a fairly young side again this year, so it's about trying to get as much learning into our game as possible, which should hopefully reflect in results as the year goes on.
"The key for us on Saturday will be about being consistent across the board, taking our opportunities when they come and, with the bat, forming partnerships and working as a team. If we can get string all of that together, I think we'll be a good chance of claiming a win on the weekend."
Elsewhere, the Kookas will host Lake Illawarra at Oakleigh Park in an intriguing battle between first and third on Saturday.
The second-placed Cavaliers will also take on the Ex-Servos at Kiama Sporting Complex; Oak Flats meets North Nowra-Cambewarra at Geoff Shaw Oval; and the Tigers face Shellharbour at Bomaderry Oval.
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