ACA aim for third country week final in four years

The Albany Cricket Association will be out to qualify for their third A-section final in four seasons when the annual country week competition begins in Perth on Sunday.

The Whalers crashed out of contention for the A-section final last season in an attempt at back-to-back titles when they fell to eventual winners Upper Great Southern in the final qualifying match.

They will face the same opposition on the same day again this campaign, which looms as a decisive encounter.

Albany must first overcome Broome, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Geraldton and Busselton-Margaret River in their first four matches.

In a major boost to the ACA's title chances, leg spinner Patrick Butler will back up for the tournament after being named in the Australian Country XI team from a stellar campaign for WA Country, where he captured 13 wickets.

Butler will team up with the ACA's leading wicket taker, English import Dan Vernon and captain Ryan Kinnear in a dangerous three-pronged spin attack.

The return of 2014 Barry Shepherd medallist Matt Clothier will also be vital, with the left-hander likely to slot in near the top of the order.

The ACA's 13-man squad will start their campaign on Sunday against Broome at Stevens Reserve in Fremantle.

Albany's second team will again contest B-section after winning the title in emphatic fashion against Geraldton last season, while Albany's third team has been promoted to C-section after finishing runner-up in D-section.

Country Week Squads

Albany 1

Ryan Kinnear (c), Zane Marwick (vc), Patrick Butler, Matt Clothier, Nathan Crudeli, Brendan Crudeli, Nathan Dovey, Ben Grey, Brendon Grogan, Harry Broomhall, Coen Marwick, Craig Tonkin, Daniel Vernon.

Albany 2

Graeme Weinert (c), Jesse Spaanderman, Matt Burton, Grant Freebourough, Matthew Hope, Declan McNamara, Nathan Vernon, Alan Pietersen, Stuart Ranford, Liam Want, Carden Taylor, Clayton Wood, Declan Wood, Lachlan Pember.

Albany 3

Keith Kinnear (c), Nick Bradbury, James Coad, John Elefteriadis, Carl Evers, Darren Grey, Aldo Lionetti, Jarrad Norton, Darren O'Shea, Peter Owen, Brendan Pollard, Tom Wolfe, Harry Noakes