Newcastle selectors have introduced several new faces to the city’s senior representative team playing against Sydney club Manly in a trial match at Ron Hill Oval on Saturday.
Leg-spinner Aaron Bills, who has signed with Cardiff-Boolaroo for 2018-2019, will be joined in the 15-man Newcastle squad by fellow Black Roses player Rahul Bakshi and Wests premiership paceman Peter Lojszczyk.
Formally with Northern Districts in the state capital, Bills arrives fresh from a first grade premiership in Maitland for Raymond Terrace, including figures of 9-19 upon his return to the Hunter late last year.
Bakshi, an Indian first class player approaching his third campaign with Cardiff, has been rewarded after scoring 855 runs, claiming 14 wickets and taking seven catches across all formats in Newcastle last season.
Rosellas opening bowler Lojszczyk clinched a career-best 50 wickets in 2017-2018, featuring breakthrough two-day and Tom Locker titles.
Also getting the nod for Newcastle this weekend is NSW Country and NSW Indigenous all-rounder Ryan Fenning, who has moved away from the Central Coast competition to play with Toronto this summer.
The likes of Wallsend duo Jacob Montgomery and Matthew Wicks are welcomed back into the Newcastle representative mix after some time away along with Wests’ Brad Aldous.
Ben Balcomb, Jed Dickson, Adrian Chad, Jonty Durrheim, Dan Bailey, Nick Foster and Matt Willett are incumbents.
Newcastle captain Nathan Price will have his first game in charge following the departure on long-time skipper Mark Littlewood post the 2017-2018 campaign.
Others from last season’s NSW Country champions joining Littlewood on the sidelines for various reasons are: Joseph Price, Burt Cockley, Pat Darwen, Jeff Goninan, Dan Morton, James Rushford, Dylan Hunter and Andy Sommerville.
Play in Saturday’s 50-over fixture is scheduled to start at 9:30am.
SQUAD: Nathan Price (c), Rahul Bakshi, Ben Balcomb, Jed Dickson, Adrian Chad, Jacob Montgomery, Ryan Fenning, Jonty Durrheim, Dan Bailey, Matthew Wicks, Nick Foster, Aaron Bills, Peter Lojszczyk, Brad Aldous, Matt Willett.
