CUDGEN is setting its sights on a ninth major cricket premiership in the Far North Coast LJ Hooker League, with captain Alec Williams confident his squad has what it takes to challenge for the title.<\/p>\n
The club has been the benchmark for more than a decade, having played in every major final since the 2013-14 season.<\/p>\n
They already claimed the Twenty20 silverware this season and will play in the upcoming one-day semi-finals from fourth spot.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been pretty consistent for over 10 years now,” Williams said.<\/p>\n
“We’re not happy with the way we’ve been playing this season, but we’re starting to get it right towards the end of the year, and that’s what really matters, I suppose.<\/p>\n
“We’ve won competitions from third and fourth before, so we’re pretty confident going into it.”<\/p>\n
The squad has evolved over the years from a core group of senior players to the club focusing on ongoing junior development.<\/p>\n
The club’s facilities have also played a role in attracting and retaining talent as one of the premier cricket venues in the region.<\/p>\n
“We’ve lost a lot of players who have gone on to play high-level cricket down south and up north,” Williams said.<\/p>\n
“But we’ve always seemed to find players to come through and fill the holes. We’ve had a lot of steady players over the years, and a lot of change.”<\/p>\n
“We’ve got the big picket fence, brand-new nets, sight screens and we can play under lights now.<\/p>\n
“It’s everything you need to be a properly equipped first-grade cricket venue and we’re pretty lucky because we wouldn’t have had half of that stuff five years ago.”<\/p>\n
The other teams playing finals this year are minor premiers Tintenbar-East Ballina, Goonellabah Workers Sports and Tweed Banora Colts.<\/p>\n
Goonellabah Workers Sports won a premiership three years ago, while Tintenbar-East Ballina is looking to break a 20-year drought.<\/p>\n
The Colts are chasing their first final since joining the competition five years ago.<\/p>\n
“We know what we need to do, and if we play our best cricket, we’ll be a dangerous team,” Williams said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CUDGEN is setting its sights on a ninth major cricket premiership in the Far North Coast LJ Hooker League, with captain Alec Williams confident his squad has what it takes to challenge for the title. The club has been the benchmark for more than a decade, having played in every major final since the 2013-14 […]<\/p>\n