TWO of the Surf Coast\u2019s heartland cricket clubs are more than eager to step onto the wicket on Wednesday next week as the annual Battle of the Bridge match prepares to take centre stage.<\/p>\n
The Australia Day clash between Jan Juc and Torquay will be the 10th edition of the local grudge match with the former hosting the game at Bob Pettitt Reserve.<\/p>\n
While the day is about bringing the local community together to promote the game of cricket, both sides realise that once both teams take the field the competitive nature of both First XI outfit will start to come out.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe day is good for the crowd as well as for things like fundraisers and raffles, and both sides will be aiming to win on the day,\u201d Sharks captain Jordan Graham said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe certainly have higher priorities for the season, but it is good to take on our cross-town rival and build the friendship between the two clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graham has played in every Battle of the Bridge to date, as the Sharks maintain a head-to-head record of five wins compared to the Tigers\u2019 four. Meanwhile, Torquay skipper Terry Hill will make his Bridge return for the first time in more than six years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just a great day for the community,\u201d Hill said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s good to have some banter with the Juc boys on the day, we\u2019re both in contention to win the premiership in our respective competitions, so it should be a high-quality game of cricket.\u201d<\/p>\n
The day will include two Twenty20 games with the double-header to be opened with the Legends game at noon, before the main game kicks off at 3pm.<\/p>\n
Hosting this year\u2019s event, Jan Juc Cricket Club will be putting on lunch for both sides, as well as a fully stocked bar with live entertainment on the day. Following play, both clubs will mingle to reflect on the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good contrast between the old and the new at these two clubs, which allows both clubs to enjoy a few beers at the end of the day,\u201d Torquay president Rob Dunne said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a good matchup this year for sure, I reckon; both teams are performing
\nreally well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two clubs\u2019 grounds are less than three kilometres away from one another and with more than three decades of previous meetings, the Battle of the Bridge remains a historic day as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a long history between Jan Juc and Torquay, we\u2019ve been playing each other since the early \u201980s,\u201d Sharks president Lukas McVey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the older guys, particularly in the legends game, see the day as an annual catch-up, so it\u2019s good to rekindle the connection, but still, there\u2019s a bit of rivalry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe word \u2018fossil\u2019 tends to be thrown around a lot, but it\u2019s all in good spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n
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TWO of the Surf Coast\u2019s heartland cricket clubs are more than eager to step onto the wicket on Wednesday next week as the annual Battle of the Bridge match prepares to take centre stage. The Australia Day clash between Jan Juc and Torquay will be the 10th edition of the local grudge match with the […]<\/p>\n