After a disappointing showing against powerful Sydney first grade club Eastern Suburbs in their first pre-season trial a week earlier, Western hit back forcefully with a good bowling display against Hawkesbury in Cowra.

Bathurst players Aaron Seymour, Henry Shoemark, Josh Toole and Callum Hotham were all involved, although it was Mudgee’s James O’Brien and Dubbo batsman Mitch Bower who took most of the individual plaudits.

Regular wickets sparked by a good spell from O’Brien and help from Seymour with the new ball consigned the Sydney first grade side to a total of just 119 all-out.

O’Brien finished with 3-9 while Nick Berry and Stu Naden picked up a couple of wickets each. 

Shoemark took one, while Seymour finished without a scalp but as he had in the first match, he bowled economically.

The innings was all over for Hawkesbury, the former side of Bathurst batsman Jameel Qureshi, in 35 overs.

Western themselves were a little uncertain in their batting performance and lost wickets at reasonably regular intervals, though Bower held things together nicely.

A mini-collapse saw them slip to 6-86, but they didn’t lose another wicket as Bower guided the chase successfully in making 63 not out, their target passed in the 33rd over.

Toole and Hotham both had the chance to wield the willow, though neither was able to get established at the crease.

Zone selectors now face the challenge of trimming the team down to a squad for the first three rounds of the Country Championships, where Western are the defending title holders, in Wagga Wagga in two months’ time.

“James O’Brien was terrific with the new ball, and he and ‘Billy’ [Seymour] put a lot of pressure on from the opening overs,” selector Matt Crawley said.

“Hawkesbury lost a couple of early ones to James and couldn’t stem the tide from there. Basically everyone bowled well.

“Seymour went wicketless but he got a few more overs into him than the four he bowled in the first trial and he probably bowled a bit quicker this time too. He should head into the start of the season full of confidence.

“He’s had a good taste of representative cricket now and knows what he can do.”

Crawley said the chase never got particularly uncomfortable given that there were batsmen in the lower-order who usually bat in the top six for their club and district sides.

Bower had also indicated from early overs that he intended to bat for time and try to ensure he was there at the end of the chase rather than taking on an overly aggressive role.

Crawley says there are still a lot of decisions to be made about the make-up of the final squad, and the Bathurst group are still in the mix.

Toole is almost certain to be there after playing an important role in last year’s win.

“Callum played some nice shots on Saturday and if he can make some early runs in district cricket he will be under consideration, ‘Tooley’ copped a 50-50 leg-before decision on Saturday but we know exactly what he brings to the team and there are no concerns there,” Crawley said.

“We want to consider as many players as possible. Jordan Moran missed both these trials with injury and he’s our incumbent wicketkeeper and opening batsman, while Greg Buckley has indicated that he’ll be back for the season.

“We have a reasonable handle on what we want but now we need to look at the balance of the side and what the conditions in Wagga will demand.”