Cricketer Matt Berkrey will be one of the stars at Sydney’s biggest stage on Sunday.
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He’ll be a part of the new-look Wagga Sloggers outfit who will compete in the Regional Bash Finals.
It’s the second time the Sloggers have made it to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) but the first for Cootamundra product Berkrey.
“I can’t wait. It seems like a dream. It’s pretty crazy, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Berkrey said.
To reach the finals, the Sloggers beat teams from Albury, Murrumbidgee and Southern Riverina.
They’ll face Orana Outlaws which includes players drawn from the central west.
Berkrey said the team would travel to Sydney on Saturday and play on Sunday, if the Sloggers beat Orana, they’ll play their second game at the SCG but under lights on Sunday night.
“Cootamundra cricket is awesome, but it’s another level with this competition,” Berkrey said.
“It’s been good to meet players in Wagga and learning from them.”
Berkrey said the Come Alive Crusaders had been training more often this year and he believed they were on the right track.
While playing at the SCG is dream for Berkrey, he said the next goal was to win the South West Slopes Cricket League.
Captain Joel Robinson took on the Outlaws last season and despite some of their better players not available this time around he’s expecting another tough challenge.
“We’ve got a completely new team and they will have a few new players as well,” Robinson said.
“There’s another nine blokes who get to have a crack to play at the SCG which is not an opportunity too many people get playing country cricket.”
SLOGGERS TEAM: Joel Robinson (capt), Brayden Ambler, Nathan Cooke, Michael Mitchell, James Evans, Mitch Black, Josh Staines, Nick Grant, Sam Perry, Joe Kenny, Max Harper, Kurt Robertson, Matt Berkrey