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DESPITE selectors not naming the 2014-15 Mitchell Cricket Council side for another two weeks, Bathurst and Blue Mountains players are expected to dominate the team after both sides scored two wins in the Presidents Cup carnival over the weekend.
Traditionally the Mitchell team is named directly after the carnival, however chairman of selectors Neil Doherty confirmed yesterday his selection panel will delay the announcement to allow time for consideration.
Played at Jack Brabham Park, Bathurst and Blue Mountains both scored victories over Mudgee and Orange.
Bathurst won out over Mudgee by 235 runs on Saturday before taking care of Orange by 69 runs yesterday. On day one, Blue Mountains scored a 79 run win over Orange before demolishing Mudgee yesterday by six wickets.
The sheer dominance of the win over Mudgee by Daniel Casey’s Bathurst side guaranteed straight away that a good handful of players would be under the microscope to press for the Mitchell squad.
Aaron Seymour, whose representative appearances for the side over the years have been sporadic, showed his class with a five-wicket haul, while Matt Lawson and Matt Fearnley both bowled well.
Fearnley, who played for Mitchell last season, didn’t pick up many wickets, but went for just 15 runs from as many overs across the two matches.
Earlier in that match Ben Orme, who was only able to play on the Saturday, smacked an aggressive 68, while the rest of the top-order batted around him with almost every Bathurst player chipping in.
Jameel Qureshi managed 35 and, as a past Western Zone representative he is sure to be in the mix.
In his debut at senior district level Callum Hotham also caught the eye, making handy runs on day one and adding 58 against Orange during a massive stand alongside Joey Coughlan.
None made bigger claims than opener Coughlan – after scoring just 11 on day one he plundered an unbeaten 114 not out against Orange, virtually guaranteeing his black cap.
“It was a good knock, getting a Mitchell spot again was definitely a goal coming into the carnival,” Coughlan, a Mitchell incumbent having represented last season, said.
“I knew I had to score a few after the first day, but I felt good on day one, so I was confident. I’ve done all I can though, so fingers crossed I get a run.”
The continuing rise of the Blue Mountains was the other major talking point out of the carnival.
With no turf pitches in their local competition they have generally been behind the eight-ball when they’ve taken on the other Mitchell sides in the past.
Steadily that has begun to change and now their third round match against Bathurst in the Presidents Cup on Sunday week shapes as a blockbuster and almost certainly a Cup final preview.
Mountains batsman Alex Crowther threw his name in the hat with two innings of 38 and 79, as did Sam Trankle who remained unbeaten for the entire weekend with 61 and 24 not out.
Mitchell will take on Valleys – Macquarie Valley and Lachlan Valley councils combined – in a Western Zone selection match at Wade Park on November 15.