NEWCASTLE’S representative squad were visited by a few former players at training at No.1 Sportsground on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the NSW Country Championships.
The likes of Greg Geise, Mark Curry, Rhys Soper, Steve Mace, Darren Herbert, Troy Goodwin, Marcus Hainsworth and Geoff Smith were on hand to present caps to the six debutants travelling to the Nowra region on Thursday.
Adrian Chad, Jonty Durrheim, Peter Lojszczyk, Toby Gray, Rahul Bakshi and Nick Watkins are those from the 13-man squad playing at the carnival for the first time.
Title holders Newcastle start against Riverina at Berry on Friday before meeting Greater Illawarra at Worrigee on Saturday. They finish with ACT Southern Districts back at Berry on Sunday.
Last year’s runner’s up Central Coast have already progressed to the November 25 final at Bowral’s Bradman Oval after taking out the state’s northern pool at Inverell on the weekend.
* BELMONT have secured the services of South African-born wicketkeeper-batsman Bradley Parry for the second half of the Newcastle district season.
Parry, who turns 22 next week and is set to arrive in Australia after Christmas, plays for Wanderers at home in the Gauteng Premier League and has most recently finished a campaign for Warminster in the West of England Premier League.
* CHARLESTOWN’S Glenn Winsor, now with Sydney club Gordon, picked up the prized scalp of banned Australian opener David Warner (54) on Sunday playing against Randwick in the NSW Premier T20 Cup.
