North Ballarat is hoping to put the troubles of a stop-start pre-season behind it as it looks to go one better than last season's semi final heartbreak.
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Like most sides, the Roosters have their winter training block disrupted by various COVID lockdowns and restrictions, with coach Darren Wilson admitting it had been hard not having a definite target.
"Until we got that notification to say when the start date was, it was like treading water, The boys didn't really know what we were training for," Wilson said.
"We knew at some stage the season would start but we didn't really know when it would start. It's good to get that clarification now and have a bit of an end goal for everyone to focus on."
The Roosters enter the new season with a largely-settled list.
Captain Mick Nolan looks set to be a force at the top of the order again, having topped the club's runscoring charts last season.
Ash McCafferty will return to take the new ball and will be gunning to take out the BCA's bowling aggregate award for a second season in a row.
The quick took 42 wickets at an average of 13.6 last summer.
Partnering up with McCafferty this year will be a new face, Mohan Bandara, who's crossed from Homers in the Horsham Cricket Association.
Originally from Sri Lanka's north western province, Bandara claimed 53 wickets at an average of 13.96 during his two years in the Wimmera.
"I think the combination of Mohan and Ash will be quite interesting," Wilson said.
"Mo is quite lively and Ash is definitely the quickest bowler in the the competition so to have to them paired up together I think is going to be a fairly good combination."
Wilson said his group wasn't too fussed about another solely one-day season, with many inside the club expecting the change as the state's COVID situation worsened.
"The longer things were drawn out and the later it was looking like the season would start, we became more realistic about playing one-dayers all season," he said.
"Given what we had what we can call a trial run last year, we probably knew what we were potentially in for.
"Our first half of the season was going to be one-dayers regardless. Now that it's extended to the whole season we'll probably just go with it.
"I think the boys are just happy to get started with playing some cricket."
The Roosters will have a first intraclub hitout this weekend, with works on North Oval and the hardwicket at Wendouree West impacting pre-season sessions.
LOOKING BACK
North Ballarat's 2020-21 season
6th (8 wins, 1 tie, 7 losses - lost semi final to Golden Point)
3105 runs scored (3rd)
15 half-centuries (3rd), 2 centuries (2nd=)
3114 runs conceded (8th)
142 wickets (4th)
27.04 average runs per wicket (6th)
5.76 average economy rate (10th)
92 maidens (7th)