It’s not often a Scottish import has any prior knowledge of teammates or opponents.
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But Wests batsman Chris McBride may be an exception.
The 18-year-old has lived with and played alongside both Rosellas paceman Pete Lojszczyk and Merewether all-rounder Josh Geary back home at Dumfries.
All three will line-up in this weekend’s Newcastle District Cricket Association first-grade grand final at No.1 Sportsground and McBride knows how he would like to finish his maiden trip to Australia.
“It would be great to go home with a premiership,” McBride said.
McBride will return to the United Kingdom following the decider and rejoin Durham Country Cricket Club’s academy squad in the north-east of England for 2018.
“I moved over to Durham when I was about 15 or 16 and I’ve been there ever since,” he said.
“I’m pretty much on a Durham second-team contract now and I’ll go back there this [English] summer.”
McBride feels like he will take more than just silverware back with him, having improved his game at Harker Oval in the process.
“Winning the Tom Locker [one-day title] was a big one and getting minor premiers,” he said.
“I averaged 40 in the league and scored a good hundred against Waratah, but the annoying thing was maybe too many 20s and 40s and not kicking on.
“I probably didn’t expect the standard to be as high. It’s been quite competitive cricket and a slightly different type of cricket, like two-day matches over two weekends.”
McBride has made 395 runs from his 13 innings at the top of the order, including a 112-run partnership with Joseph Price in the weekend’s semi-final win over defending champions Hamwicks at Harker Oval and an unbeaten 235-run stand alongside Aaron Wivell in November.
“I think we made it look easier than what it was on the weekend,” McBride said.
“Hamwicks are a good side and they tested us. But we got through that and we’re happy to be in the final.”
Saturday and Sunday will mark one of McBride’s biggest tests to date.
“I’ve played in a couple of junior finals at home, but nothing like this and how much it means to the club and the community,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to it. There’s a few nerves but I’m quite optimistic and hope we can win.”
McBride said it would be important “not to do anything different” in the top-two showdown if they are to overcome Merewether for a third time this campaign.
His parents visited during the summer and the eldest of three brothers, Robert, previously played briefly at Wallsend.
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