Mudgee will be up to the task against Orange on Sunday, according to Nick Chapman.
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The right arm off-spin bowler, who was selected in Western Zone’s team for the NSW Country Under 19s Championships, expects Orange to be strong but Mudgee to be too good when the two teams meet on Sunday at Victoria Park.
Sunday’s match acts as the final round for both the Western Premier League and President’s Cup competitions.
Neither Mudgee nor Orange can make the finals of either competition as they both suffered defeats to Blue Mountains and Bathurst a fortnight ago during the President’s Cup carnival weekend.
Despite their poor showing at the carnival, Mudgee and Orange bounced back to the winner’s circle last weekend in their respective Country Cricket knockout fixtures.
Mudgee defeated Orange Colts in the Country Shield and Orange hammered Cowra in the higher tier Cup competition.
“Expect this [Orange] side to be strong than last weekend but with home ground advantage, we should do all right,” Chapman said.
It has been a busy 2014 for Chapman, having played rep cricket earlier this year as well as featuring in the Mudgee Wombats under 17s minor premiership team, and to do all of it while studying for the HSC.
He was one of the consistent bowlers last summer and he helped Woolpack Hotel to claim the division one Mudgee cricket title.
This season, he has taken seven wickets at an average of 27.57 – four of those wickets coming in representative cricket.
“It has been a good start to the season, it has been coming out all right,” Chapman said.
“It’s good fun to play with the boys.”
Last season Chapman was the chief spinner for Mudgee but with the return of Steven Knight, the pair give captain Jacob Edmonds plenty of options.
Chapman said Knight has been helping him this season.
“He keeps talking to me while I’m bowling. He keeps telling me to throw it up and other pieces of advice,” he said.
Sunday will be Chapman’s final hit out before he goes into camp with the Western Zone under 19s side.
He has represented Western in the under 17s academy side twice at Raymond Terrace and the under 19s Colts last season at Coffs Harbour. He has also played for Western CHS opens twice.
The NSW Country Under 19s Championships will be played from November 7 to 9.
This Sunday’s match against Orange is scheduled to play at Victoria Park from 10am.
MUDGEE: Jacob Edmonds (c), James O’Brien (vc), Michael Ford, Cameron Cox, Steven Knight, Will Lindsey, Troy Kenny, Hayden Cox, Mark Bennie, James Ford, Nick Chapman, Trent Bright.