TWO of Cootamundra’s most promising cricketers Ryan Connell and Zac Craw have been selected in the Northern Riverina Cricket Council Gorrel Cup side.
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The Gorrel Cup will be played at Barooga from Monday to Wednesday next week.
The four cricket councils in the Riverina will compete including Northern Riverina, Southern Riverina, Murrumbidgee, and Cricket Albury Wodonga Country.
Craw is a top order left hand batsman.
Connell who was captain of the under 16s cricket team is a very promising off-spin bowler and stylish right hand batsman.
Last season Connell was selected for Northern Riverina Colston Scammell Shield under 16 side, however he was given limited opportunities to show his wares as a spin bowler.
“I have more confidence now and hopefully this year I’ll get to do a little bit more,” he said.
Connell’s glad to be going into competition with his right hand man, “me and Zac are probably going to be the opening batsmen.”
They train together, play together and with that experience and raw talent Craw and Connell make a formidable duo.
“We’ve been playing together for five years,” Connell said. “Last season we played juniors on Saturday morning, and mens in the afternoon.”
Craw has just completed a season of soccer with the Cootamundra Strikers and is itching to begin the cricket season.
“We start the season with the biggest test of the year,” Craw said.
As daunting as that may be, Craw and Connell are more than prepared; training each day at school in their lunch breaks and doing net sessions in the afternoon.
“I’m just keen to play,” Craw said.
Earlier on in the year both Connell and Craw played an integral part in attaining the Fife Shield for Cootamundra as the under 16s cricket team defeated Wagga in the final.
Both played for the local mens Country Club Sparre Cup side. The team caused a major upset by defeating the Central Hotel Blues in the grand final earlier on in the year.
“I’m always hopeful but you never know if you’ll be selected,” Connell said.
The Gorrel Cup - a launching pad for local cricketers
David Garness is the most recent Cootamundra cricketer to represent Northern Riverina at the Gorrel Cup in the 2010/11 season. Garness, an opening bowler, went right to the top that season being selected for the NSW under 17s competing in the national carnival in Hobart.
The last time Cootamundra had two cricketers represent Northern Riverina was back in 2005.
Those two players Isaac Smith and Kyal Berg have chosen different pathways since they played together in the Gorrel Cup at the Griffith Showgrounds nearly a decade ago.
Smith has played AFL for Hawthorn since 2011, a highlight being in their premiership team last season and Berg manages a hotel in Sydney.
