GLOUCESTER Cricket Club hopes to enter T1 and T2 sides in next season's Manning competition.
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T1 captain Ryan Yates said he's 'pretty confident' the Bushmen will be able to get sufficient numbers.
"We've got a few good kids coming out of the juniors and some dads are keen to have a game,'' Yates said.
"So hopefully we'll be able to get enough players - it would be a big boost.''
Yates said the lack of a back-up side hindered Gloucester's campaign this season. The Bushmen bowed out of the competition when beaten by Great Lakes in the minor semi-final at Tuncurry a fortnight ago. The game was abandoned due to rain, with Great Lakes 3/48 at the time. Great Lakes moved through to the final as they finished third, however, they were well beaten by Wingham in the preliminary final.
The Bushmen won three of the 15 matches in the competition-proper. As only four sides contested T1 all were guaranteed a finals berth.
It was a season dominated by bowlers and Yates conceded the Bushmen didn't post competitive scores often enough.
"There wasn't a century scored in T1 this season and that's unusual,'' he said.
"We have a good enough bowling side to defend a total, but we just didn't make enough runs.''
Yates conceded that he was one of the batters to have a lean run of form.
He said the emergence of talented young players Rhys Summerville, Andrew Fraser and Sam Collie was the highlight of the campaign.
"They all showed they are capable of playing T1,'' Yates said.
"They'll be hanging around for a while so hopefully we can get a couple more experienced players on board to support them and we'll develop into a handy side.''
Yates said he would be happy to stay on as captain.
"If the boys want me then I'll be the captain again next season,'' he said.
He added he expects the majority of this summers' team to go around in 2024/25.
However, he admitted the four team competition had limitations.
"We were playing the same sides every second week,'' he said.
"It would be good if we could get one of two more next year.''