Kookaburras Get Down To Business

Newcastle Herald

Saturday January 6, 2007

By JAMES GARDINER

BUOYED by a bright first half of the summer, Toronto captain Matt Hancock is adamant the Kookaburras can match it with the Newcastle district cricket heavyweights, starting with Merewether at Ron Hill Oval today.

Whipping boys for the past five seasons, the Kookaburras have been a revelation and begin the new year in equal second on 31 points, four adrift of leaders Wallsend.

Included in their scalps were back-to-back outright wins over Cardiff-Boolaroo and Newcastle City.

They stumbled before Christmas, going down to Waratah-Mayfield in a low-scoring affair, but Hancock remains confident they can progress to the semi-finals for the first time in more than a decade.

"There is a real sense of belief among the boys," he said. "Even though we lost against Waratah, we still took some positives from it. We were 4-7 at one stage but showed some fight to get within 15 or so runs of them."

They will need to show that fight and more in the most important part of the season.

After Merewether, they meet Charlestown, Stockton and Hamilton-Wickham, who between them have won the past three grand finals.

"We have a few tough games coming up, but if we can win two or three of them, we should be right up there," Hancock said.

"They are all good sides but, unlike past seasons, we are not intimidated by them.

"We have some quality players and will give as good as we get."

Leading the charge has been top-order batsman Paul Toole, who joined the Kookaburras after several seasons in first grade at Randwick.

"Tooley has been exceptional and he is keen to test himself against the benchmark in the competition," Hancock said.

Merewether, in fourth place on 30 points, are without NSW Country paceman Mick Hogan.

Waratah-Mayfield will be out to continue their surge when they take on leaders Wallsend at Wallsend Oval.

In other matches, Belmont's season goes on the line when they play Charlestown at Kahibah Oval, Wests are at home to Hamilton-Wickham, University host Stockton and Cardiff take on Newcastle City at Cardiff No.1.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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