Cricket: Tom Groth and Matt Everett padding up for NSW Country at 2022 Country Invitational Tournament.

The outstanding wicket-keeper batsmen is this week in Albury-Wodonga gloving up for NSW Country at the 2022 Country Invitational Tournament.

Further adding to his legacy, it is his 14th campaign for the Bush Blues and second in Albury after playing in what was then his second Australian Country Championships there in 2010.

"I don't know where it's (time) gone," he quipped.

"It feels like it was yesterday I was down here."

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He has since gone on to not only don the baggy blue more times than any other NSW Country cricketer but become the most capped player in the history of the country championships, and was earlier this year named in the NSW Country Team of the Decade.

"I love this cricket," he said.

"It's the best cricket I play every year. Best standard, and I really look forward to it."

After a bit of a stop-start opening to the season, Groth has benefited from a bit more consistent cricket in the latter part of the season and is "feeling good" heading in.

"I've been doing a bit of work. The last month to six weeks I've gone pretty hard," he said.

Along with a "bit of fitness work", he's been getting to training more. Between "work, kids and living 200ks away" he hadn't "been able to do much this year".

He's also been doing a couple of keeping sessions with Bush Blues assistant coach Shane Burley, who has been doing a bit of work around Gunnedah.

"I've had a couple of good hard sessions with him," he said.

The tournament will run from Tuesday through to Monday.

Usually held in January, Groth commented that it was "pretty fresh down here".

"There's been a bit of rain but they're not predicting any rain," he said.

It will be only a tri-series as opposed to a full championships, but still promises some great cricket with Queensland and ACT two of the strongest sides.

Groth has been joined by former Tamworth, and one-time South Tamworth, team-mate Matt Everett, who is one of five debutants in the side.

Now based at Gilgandra Everett earned his spot after impressing for Western during the Country Championships.

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