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Why you should care about one-day domestic cricket

Roar Pro
2nd October, 2015
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It would be Lynnsane if they didn't select Chris Lynn to go to India. (AAP Image/Quentin Jones)
Roar Pro
2nd October, 2015
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Do you smell that? Cricket season is back, officially getting under way on Monday with the launch of the Matador Cup.

Maybe it’s the warmer days or the grass clippings, but it just feels right.

However, why should you care about the Australian domestic one-day competition?

For one, it’s the first time in many years that squads have full access to their list, including Australian-contracted players after the tour of Bangladesh was cancelled.

Over the next 24 months we are going to see a big turnover of players representing Australia, with the Ashes defeat being a sign that change is required.

Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris and Chris Rogers are the big names who have retired, but who will be the next generation stars that the selectors decide to gamble on?

The Matador Cup is the first place that we can see these players flourish and stake their claim, players like Andrew Fekete, Travis Head, Jakes Doran and Jason Behrendorff. Who you ask? Exactly.

Josh Lalor is a New South Wales listed player who was in the initial squad for the Blues before he was bumped when the Test team returned from Bangladesh.

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After a promising start to the season, he admits his October will now be made up of playing PlayStation and mowing the lawns.

“(I’ll be) putting my feet up after being replaced by big Mitch Starc,” Lalor said.

“The entire squad is looking forward to the tournament.”

Not since the Canberra Comets at the turn of the millennium have we had seven teams in the domestic one-day competition.

But a special Cricket Australia XI will join the fray this season, featuring some of the country’s best young talent.

Not everyone is convinced it’s on the move however.

“The playing group as a whole is uncertain as to how it will play out but there is no doubt the team will have a lot of talent,” Lalor said.

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“Their inclusion no doubt diminishes the integrity of the competition but Cricket Australia sees it as a great opportunity to form part of the Talent Pathway. We will see how it plays out.”

All the games will again be in Sydney’s suburbs from October 5 to the final on October on 25.

“I think players, from NSW and interstate, are still getting accustomed to it,” Lalor said.

“I think the players appreciate playing the full one-day format all at the one time and this tournament presents that.”

The main contenders look to be Victoria and Western Australia as usual, with NSW fancying their chances as well.

“Victoria have put together a squad full of international experience and talent,” Lalor said.

“They are perennial contenders in the one-day domestic competition and know how to play together and win.”

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“The Western Australian squad boasts a quality group of good young bowlers and they’ll also be boasted by the inclusion of the Marsh brothers, which should give them plenty of fire power.”

“The recent inclusion of our Test players from Bangladesh has given us a phenomenal squad for the tournament. The expectation will be for us to win,” Lalor said.

Many of the matches will be broadcast live on Channel Nine’s secondary channel GEM, including the finals. Check your local guide for details.

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