MOUNTIE Matt Goonan will captain Ballarat Cricket Association in a headline match against arch-rival Bendigo tomorrow.
Goonan will lead a senior line-up in the Ballarat-Bendigo Challenge, which will also feature clashes in seven age divisions.
For the seniors, the match is a final intense hit-out a week out from Melbourne Country Week.
Goonan is promoted for co-captains and chairmen of selectors Ryan Knowles (broken finger) and Heath Pyke, who is in Bendigo with club Twenty20 state duties.
Wendouree’s Kookaburra Twenty20 Cup country final has ruled out all Red Caps for the BCA representative match this week but Pyke said the match offered a chance for others to step up.
“That’s the way we’ve traditionally looked to use this match – see where we’re at for playing country week cricket,” Pyke said.
“It’s a good chance for the younger guys to bat out of position to what they would in country week and see how they go.
“Bendigo’s a good team and has won a couple of titles, so they’re usually pretty tough.”
Ballarat and Bendigo each play in the Victorian Country Cricket League’s provincial division.
TEAMS
The BCA has a tough draw, set to face Geelong first-up at Werribee’s Chirnside Park on February 13.
SENIORS: (Wendouree No 1): Matt Goonan (c), Bobby Hind, Allan Steenholdt, Josh White, Brad Whittaker, Nick Hyden, Steve Nicholson, Matt Ward, Brendan Burns, Rhett Ovens, Dan White.
UNDER-21: (Northen Oval No.2, 9.30am for 10.30am start): Jacob Short, Peter Colbourne, James Lewis, Daniel White, Kyle Eyers, Rohan Parag, Ben Trew, Simon Ringin, Lachlan Cassidy, Brandon Wetherson, Nick Waldie, Brodie Bennett.
UNDER-17: (City Oval, 9.30am for 10.30am start): Jack Peeters, Angus McSweyn, Jayden Hayes (c), Adam Toohey, Jayden Edwards, Jake Eyres, Tim Hughes, Grant Trevenen, Daniel Robinson, Ollie Hayes, Nathan Patrikeos, Kane Bodey.
UNDER-16: (Western Oval, 9.15am): M. Spratling, S. Hooper, J. Guinea, D. Jenkins, T. Hutt, M. Panther, D. Burns, B. Price, D. Price, J. Blackburn, M. Walsh, B. McDonald.
UNDER-15: (Invermay): Haydn Knight (c), Mitchell Coppick (vc), Conor McKee, Adam Young, Jono Neville, Liam Fitzpatrick, Daniel Phyland, Graeme Temby, Jack McNabb, Ash McCafferty, Jack Oostendorp, Zac Ticehurst, Connor Smith.
UNDER-14: (East High): Daniel Walker (c), Tom Le Lievre (vc), Cameron Gell, Lawrence Both, Ben Lusby, Nick Spark, Terrence Curwin-King, Sean Bourke, Billy Hoye, Sam Jackson, Harli Givvens, Mitchell Zakynthinos.
UNDER-13: (Wendouree No. 2): Lewis Compton, Liam Fisher, Zac Jenkins, Patrick Keogh, Hugh Knight, Trent Moss, Tom Rogers, Mackenzie Spark, Taylor Sutton, Josh Thompson, Mitch Tuddenham, Tom Walton, Ryan Thompson (emerg).
UNDER-12: (Brown Hill, 9.45am): Richard Dell, Fletcher Brennan, Bailey Medwell, Sam Harris, Jai McHenry, Jordan Johnston, Riley Hucker, Dylan Graham, Jack Thornton, Riley Coppick, Fraser Hunt, Will Ringin; emergencies, Ben Hutt, Sophie van de Heuval.
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