Kirk Mullard will return to the Maitland and District Cricket Association first grade competition this weekend for the first time in more than a decade.
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The long-time Hamilton-Wickham skipper will line up for his junior club City United in a second round two-day clash with former club Kurri Weston.
Although an away game for City, the hard-hitting right-handed batsman will be in familiar territory at Kurri Central on Saturday and Sunday.
Mullard was part of back-to-back premierships for Weston Workers in 2000-2001 and 2001-2002.
He left to play in Newcastle shortly after and has enjoyed regular stints in England during the past 10 years.
Following defeat for Ham-Wicks in the 2013-2014 top grade decider Mullard enjoyed a summer off.
After missing the first round this year he has now committed to the season ahead and City’s campaign for a major premiership.
Mullard will join his cousin Andrew at the central Maitland club.
The dynamic duo and current City skipper Matthew Trappel all played together down in Newcastle at one stage.
They will form the nucleus of an already strong squad, which also includes 2011-2012 Maitland player of the year Nick Bower.
Last season’s minor premiers started their season on the right foot last Saturday with a comfortable 90-run victory in a grand final replay with title holders Northern Suburbs at Lorn Park.
Blake Chandler (4-5) and Tim Carrall (3-28) made triumphant comebacks for City by taking seven wickets between them.
Wicketkeeper Matt Latham was also in handy form upon return, finishing with three dismissals, including a stumping.
Karl Bowd, Anru Kriel and Jason Morris will play again this weekend.
Ben Davies comes in for notable omission Kerryn Ball, who was last week banned from playing against Kurri Weston in the regular rounds for 2015-2016 after moving clubs on the eve of the season.
Mullard has been selected at the expense of Ethan Mann.
Despite the changes City will go in as favourites against Kurri Weston, who have one change for the match of the round with Justin Kavanagh replaced by Casey Capper
Kurri Weston went down to Western Suburbs by seven wickets at Coronation Oval on Saturday.
The visitors posted 216, which included half centuries to Jack Bennett (87) and Jake Gordon (51), but multiple dropped catches proved costly for Kurri Weston as the Plovers reached the required total three wickets down with seven overs to spare.
Wests will be at home once more this weekend and take an unchanged line up into their battle with Eastern Suburbs.
The Griffins are much more unsettled with Ryan Broadly and Lachlan Pannowitz out, but Callen Sergeant, Chad Pulsar and Mitch Budden in.
The remaining fixture has Raymond Terrace, minus the Smith brothers Broque and Brodie, up against first round winners and hosts Thornton with Rick Mace covering for Chad Ryan.
Play gets under way at 12.30pm each day. Norths have the bye.
