QUEANBEYAN second grade captain Pete Coleborne is confident his side will be at full strength for its Twenty20 grand final against arch-rivals Tuggeranong at Chisholm this Sunday.
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The NSW Country Championships, Australian under-19s commitments and player unavailability over the Christmas/New Year break have seen Queanbeyan’s playing ranks significantly depleted across the grades in recent weeks.
But with Queanbeyan’s first shot at 2012/13 silverware on the line, Coleborne said the Bluebags would be able to field their strongest XI in Sunday’s clash.
“It’s going to be an issue for our one-day match on Saturday with so many players having to play up a grade to fill the void at the moment but first grade don’t have a game on Sunday so it should be fine for the Twenty20,” he said.
“We’ll be able to put out the team we want to the final so there aren’t any problems there.”
Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong have met once previously this season, and the Bluebags will be keen to avenge what proved a disappointing loss after failing to chase down Tuggeranong’s meagre 97-run total.
The timing of Sunday’s game meanwhile has raised some eyebrows, coming nearly two months after Queanbeyan’s semi-final victory against North Canberra Gungahlin back in November.
“It has been a long time since our last game which is not great,” Coleborne acknowledged. “I think you get used to playing one form of the game so to have a long break isn’t ideal.
“I’m not sure how they work the draw out, especially being so close to Christmas most people are still trying to get back into the swing of it…I wouldn’t have scheduled the final for this weekend myself.”
Sunday will also see Queanbeyan take to the field in the final of the third grade Twenty20 competition with the Bluebags to take on ANU at Freebody Oval.
Queanbeyan will head into the match on the back of an undefeated season and having posted a comfortable semi-final victory over Monaro.
Second grade T20 grand final
Who: Queanbeyan v Tuggeranong
Where: Chisholm Oval
When: Sunday, 12.30pm