Clubs have been busy at the selection table as the Cricket North West two-day roster gets underway on Saturday following a Twenty20 start to 2019 last week.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With the top four looking unlikely to change in terms of what teams will be in it, the jostle for final positions starts in earnest this round, with Ulverstone, Burnie, Sheffield and Devonport all eager to snare a top-two spot.
The feature game of the round will be at UCI Oval, where the Black Caps host the Orions.
The home side has only had to make one change from last round, with teenager Julius Kerwin back in for unavailable pace bowler Jacob Wiggers.
Devonport welcome back Anish Paraam and Brent Lawler, while also recalling wicketkeeper Brock Bucknell to replace regular gloveman Tyler Dell.
Burnie will be looking to boost its points tally when it travels west to take on last-placed Wynyard.
While the Hurricanes do get back former captain Brady Yates along with Joe Fryett, Zach Walker and Tyler Paker, they are set to play out the rest of the season without opening bowler and leading wicket-taker Tyler Johns, who has moved to New South Wales.
After being unable to record a win in the shorter formats of the game, Wynyard captain-coach Peter Fulton will be hoping that the disciplined approach to batting he has been trying to instill can finally bear some fruit with more overs available.
The Blues’ bowing stocks will be strengthened with the return of Marcus Gee, while Matthew Saltmarsh and Mason Hodgetts are also back for the opening day.
Sheffield can also get an early jump on the other teams around them when they visit fifth-placed Latrobe.
Adam Norris will make his debut for Sheffield following some solid performances in second grade, with the experienced Richard Miles and Jade Smith also pulling on the whites this week.
The Demons’ side was unavailable at the time of publication.