ADCA’s Nathan Crudeli, Jeremy Wood and Lincoln Joy gear up for Toyota Australia Country Cricket Championships

A mix of experience and youth will be the key to success as three of Albany’s star cricketers don the black and gold for the WA Country XI in Newcastle, NSW, this week. Mt Barker pair Jeremy Wood, 32, Nathan Crudeli, 29 and Royals’ Lincoln Joy, 25, have all gained selection to the Toyota Australia Country Cricket Championships after putting in strong seasons for their clubs in the Albany and Districts Cricket Association. Their first game is on Wednesday against Victoria and they play nine rounds, which include five one-day matches and four T20s. Crudeli, who is playing in his sixth tournament, was appointed vice-captain of the side and said he was keen on the added leadership responsibility. “I captained a few of the T20 warm-up games but this will be my first time touring as vice-captain,” Crudeli said. “It’s something I’m looking forward to and over the last few years, I’ve learnt a lot from the leaders in the group including Jeremy. “So really looking forward to getting involved and my own little spin on things. “We’ve got a great bunch of blokes with a few new faces and some old faces so we have really good balance. “We started a bit slow last year so I think we will need to just get into the tournament quite quickly. “I think we’ve picked the side that can go over there and win so we’ll be going over there and just focusing on the first couple of days and making sure we get some wins on the board early.” Crudeli was selected as an All-Australian at last year’s tournament and hopes to again show his form with bat and ball. “I’ll be at the top of the order bowling and then maybe somewhere through the middle with the stick,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting in there and hopefully getting some runs and wickets.” Bulls all-rounder Wood, also on his sixth tour, insists he has “unfinished business” as he enters the twilight of his career. “So there is a desire to have another crack at going one better.” Wood, who captained the Southern Smash title-winning Elders Avengers, said the tournament played a key role in preparing them for the national championships. “Putting your body through two days of cricket is always good leading up to it,” he said. “Playing two T20s back-to-back is what we have to do on tour so getting the body through that is good preparation. “It’s hard this time of year to put in any training workloads with holidays and stuff like that so it has been good timing.” Wood travels with aspirations of having an impact on both aspects of the match with hopes to improve on past tournaments. “I’ll bat middle order and probably bowl some tough overs through the middle periods of the 50-over cricket,” he said. “I feel like I haven’t conquered that (impact on the match) yet, so I’d Iike to contribute a bit more with the bat and ball as a whole.” Joy will tour for the first time in his career and was selected on the back of some dominant performances with the bat for the Country XI in their Premier T20 matches. He said a change in his mindset and mental preparedness had been a catalyst for his improved form. “It’s an absolute privilege to be selected and really exciting and good payoff for some hard work,” Joy said. “I think slowing down and just like really trying to get into the innings before I try too much has helped me recently. “It is nice entering the tournament with a bit of form under my belt, but I certainly won’t take it for granted. “If I just give myself the best opportunity I can, really fight for my spot and do the best I can — that’s all I can really do.” Railways star all-rounder and 2022 Australian Country Cricket Championships All-Australian Julian Crudeli was selected to travel with the side but has been nursing a hamstring injury in the lead-up to the tournament. He made a comeback for Railways earlier this season from a frustrating wrist injury and was meant to play for Retravision Warriors at the 2023 Southern Smash tournament in Albany. But his troublesome hamstring forced him out of the competition. He had fitness tests to complete before flying out but failed to pass them and was subsequently replaced by Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association’s Liam Renton.