Maitland Flood will be missing a host of star players including last season's Maitland and District Cricket Association player of the year Todd Francis for the start of the Newcastle Summer Bash Twent20 competition on Sunday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Francis tore his hamstring during a man-of-the-match performance for City United against Western Suburbs on Saturday.
He is expected to play for City on Saturday, but will not be able to stand the rigours of T20 cricket and back up for second day.
Others who are injured or not available for selection for Sunday's double header are Eastern Suburbs all-rounder Trent Park, big-hitting Western Suburbs batters Michael Rees and Zac Gayfer and Thornton spinning all-rounder Dan Willis, but Flood skipper Mitch Fisher will still have plenty of quality players to choose from.
There's plenty of runs and plenty of variety in attack in the squad named for Sunday's games against Newcastle sides Lions and Seagulls.
The Flood will have two marquee players from the Central Coast.
NSW Country and Australian Country opening bowler Scott Burkinshaw will add a lot of quality and experience to the team.
The other marquee is young star Tom Owen a left-arm, off-spinner who bats top order. Owen has been playing for Randwick in the Poidevin-Gray Shield, the Sydney Under-21 competition.
The local contingent includes Western Suburbs duo wicket keeper Shannon Threlfo and paceman Harry King, Thornton all-round Daniel Upward, Easts batsman Lachie Wishart and Raymond Terrace spinner Brayden Brooks..
A large City United contingent includes Matt Trappel, big hitting Karl Bowd and fast-bowling all-rounder Sam Jordan.
Players in the squad for the next game are Willis, Gayfer, Park, Easts batsman Joe Hancock and Terrace all-rounder Lachie Page.
Maitland will field just the one franchise this season with the Hunter Valley Thoroughbreds joining the competition and featuring players from Cessnock, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Maitland players not selected by Flood.
In round one at Lynn Oval in Stockton on Sunday, Flood plays Lions at noon and Seagulls at 3pm.
At JR Ron Hill Oval in Toronto, the Thoroughbreds play Tigers at noon and Kookaburras at 3pm.
This season Maitland will host its first games in the competition with the Flood playing Whips and Kookaburras at Lorn Park on January 16.
The Thoroughbreds face Pumas and Waratahs at Joe Passmore Oval, Whickham, on the same day.
There are 15 teams taking part in three pools of five. The top two teams from each pool and two best placed third teams from the pools will progress to the quarter-finals on Wednesday, February 9
The semi-finals and grand final are on Sunday, February 20.
