Tigers to defend T20 title

The reintroduced separate Twenty20 competition will start this Saturday in the Albany Cricket Association A-grade ranks, as Railways look to defend the title they won in 2015-16.

The Tigers were the last team to claim the T20 title two seasons ago and will get the chance to retain the silverware after the ACA decided to bring back the competition this season.

After no T20 games were played last season, the ACA has scheduled a T20 competition in 2017-18 which will comprise six rounds to decide the four semifinals and then the two winners play off in the final on December 10.

The T20 competition is completely separate from the one-day competition.

For the next three weekends, A-grade teams will play in the T20 format with double-header fixtures on November 25, December 2 and December 9 before the semifinals of the tournament are played on December 10 at 12.15pm and then the two finalists play off later that afternoon.

The Tigers will have the bye in the opening round at 12.15pm on Saturday before taking on Denmark in round 2 at 3.15pm.

The Tigers are expected to field a vastly different side to the one that defeated Collingwood Park by 35 runs in the T20 final two seasons ago, with Zane Marwick, Alan Pietersen, Nathan Crudeli and Ryan Tindale the only four likely to be in action.

But the Tigers have a formidable line-up with gun batsman Mitch Green and big hitter Matt Walters at the top, and Nathan Crudeli and Coen Marwick who can score quickly in the middle order.

The performances of proven short-form specialist Nathan Dovey will be crucial to Collingwood Park’s hopes. Last season Dovey belted a 44-ball century that included nine sixes in the same format for the ACA in Toyota Country Cup qualifiers.

Park face Mt Barker and Manypeaks in their two games on Saturday while the in-form North County meet the Magpies and then Royals.

Two of the three T20 matches will be played on turf at the new precinct with the other game on Hard North for the opening two rounds.

A cash prize is likely to be up for grabs.

ACA A-GRADE T20 FIXTURES

Round 1 – 12.15pm, Saturday

Mt Barker v Collingwood Park at Turf North

Manypeaks v Royals at Hard North

North County v Denmark at Turf West

Railways – Bye

Round 2 – 3.15pm, Saturday

Collingwood Park v Manypeaks at Turf West

Denmark v Railways at Hard North

Royals v North County at Turf North

Mt Barker – Bye