The Bush Blues will look to improve their mid-table position across the weekend and push towards the T20 final following a mixed bag of results on the opening day of the Australian Country Championships.
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NSW Country, like all other teams outside unbeaten Western Australia and winless South Australia, tasted both victory and defeat in back-to-back T20 matches in Toowoomba on Friday.
"It could have been worse so at least we have one win on the board," Newcastle-based Bush Blues captain Nick Foster said.
"Everyone else, bar WA and SA, has one win and one loss as well so we're not too worried about that. Hopefully now we can kick on across the weekend."
NSW Country fought back against ACT at Captain Cook Reserve, taking 3-5 in the late stages of game two when defending 5-118, but the men from the nation's capital eventually reached the target six wickets down with one over to spare.
Earlier in game one at the same venue, the Bush Blues posted 3-135 and then restricted South Australia to 9-89 in reply.
NSW Country meet Western Australia and Queensland on Saturday before coming up against Victoria on Sunday morning.
The top two sides progress to the T20 decider, which the Bush Blues won last year, on Sunday afternoon. Fifty-over fixtures start on Monday.
NSW Country have a couple of injury concerns with Alec Baldwin, who top scored with 63 not out in the first round, nursing a hamstring strain while Central Coast spinner Chris Archer suffered a split in one of his fingers.
North Coast all-rounder Caleb Ziebell was the standout performer for the Bush Blues on the opening day with figures of 4-13 in game one backed up by 56 not out in game two.
The national women's tournament starts with a T20 round on Sunday and NSW Country, featuring Kirsten Smith, Jaclyn Vickery and Sanetta Manns, have been pitted against South Australia.
Meanwhile, Country Cricket NSW issued a statement on Friday in relation to bushfires and the status of upcoming junior representative carnivals scheduled in Albury next week.
"At this stage, the Bradman and Kookaburra cup carnivals remain on," the state body posted on social media.
"However, the situation will be constantly reviewed following the predicted poor weather forecast tomorrow [Saturday], and note any changes to fires and the impact on travel and any decisions will be made shortly thereafter."
Newcastle and Central North both have under-14 and under-16 teams set to play at the annual championships from Tuesday.
GAME 1: NSW Country 3-135 (Alec Baldwin 67 not out) def South Australia 9-89 (Caleb Ziebell 4-13)
GAME 2: NSW Country 5-118 (Caleb Ziebell 56 not out) lost to ACT 6-119
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