For the last 12 years the start of the new year has for Tom Groth meant one of the highlights on his cricketting calendar is just around the corner.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Unfortunately due to the coronavirus pandemic the Australian Country Cricket Championships won't be going ahead in 2021. But the South Tamworth skipper will still get to pull on the baggy blue after being named in the NSW Country side for the upcoming Tri-Series in Canberra.
The series, which will feature the Bush Blues, Queensland Country and ACT and involve a mix of 50-over and Twenty20 games was brokered after Cricket Australia cancelled the country championships back in October and will also see the Bush Blues play the NSW Indigenous XI on January 17 in Bowral.
READ ALSO:
It will give Groth, who is the only Central North player selected in the side, the chance to add to his legacy.
Earlier this year the outstanding gloveman became the most capped player in the history of the country championships. At the previous championships he had passed Newcastle stalwart Simon Moore's record for most games for the Bush Blues.
Since returning to the region, the tournament (country champs) has always been one that Groth has looked forward to and while this season things will be "a little bit different" he said it is nice to still get the chance to "go away and represent NSW Country again".
"At one stage a few months ago there pretty much wasn't going to be anything," he said.
"It's been good that Cricket NSW pushed to get it to happen".
And it promises to be good cricket.
"I think it will be a pretty good competition, the standard of cricket will be pretty good," he said.
"(And) Queensland Country and NSW Country have a pretty big rivalry. It's a game both teams are pretty desperate to win."
Last year the two sides shared the honours, with NSW winning the Twenty20 fixture and QLD their one-day clash in a close one.
Groth will be joined by plenty of familiar faces in what he said is a strong side.
"One thing I know, the guys that have been picked, particularly the batters, are taking a fair bit of form in," he said.
Because of the shorter format they are too carrying an extra batter in the squad.
Bush Blues team for Tri-Series: Daniel Arms (Newcastle), Scott Burkinshaw (Central Coast), Ryan Brown (Riverina), Adrian Chad (Newcastle), Eric Denhartog (Greater Illawarra), Nick Foster (c) (Newcastle), Tom Groth (Central Northern), Nathan Hudson (Newcastle), Ben Mitchell (Riverina), Alex Patterson (Central Coast), Brynley Richards (Greater Illawarra), Ryan Van Kemenade (Newcastle), Kerrod White (Greater Illawarra), Alec Williams (Nth Coastal).
