By Elliot Stevenson
New Town has made a strong start to the season, but this weekend brings its biggest test yet.
The Bucks open their two-day campaign against North Hobart on Saturday, then host reigning premiers the Greater Northern Raiders in a Kookaburra Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Coach Peter Di Venuto is keeping a lid on his side’s early success despite being top of the CTPL table.
“We've made a steady start to the season,” he said. “We've got a relatively new team, from a bowling aspect in particular.
“And as a result, it's pleasing that they're managing to manufacture results and develop at the same time.
“They’ve manufactured a few wins and other players have had opportunities to step up, which has been good.”
The Bucks will be in red-ball mode to begin the weekend, with a date set against North Hobart on the TCA Ground on Saturday.
It’s a competition in which New Town has had recent success, having made the grand final last year but falling short against a star-studded Clarence side.
Di Venuto says a potential return to the big dance is “at the end” of the season, with his side not looking that far ahead.
“It's the first opportunity in red ball [this weekend],” he said. “So, we've just got to work on our processes.
“If we're in a position of being able to execute those more often than not, then at the end of the season, we'll determine where we sit.
“The ladder changes very quickly, we may have finished on top [after the one-day season], but you have a loss in the first two-day game and all of a sudden, you're fifth or sixth.
“It's just the way that it is. We're looking forward to it though.”
The Bucks will be led by in-form batting duo Jai Lemire and Josh Hartill, with the pair leading the entire competition in runs scored with 782 runs between them.
Lemire is the early recruit of the season, having signed for New Town from Carlton in Victoria during the off-season.
Di Venuto says he isn’t surprised by Lemire’s instant impact.
“He's a talented batter,” he said. “And the guys that I know from when I coached at Carlton spoke very highly of him and his capabilities.
“Jai's starting to demonstrate those within our competition, and I just hope that he continues to score runs at the top of the order.
“And in terms of whatever opportunities that presents for him, it's up to him then when he gets those to take them.
“At the end of the day, those boys and others are putting in significant hours into their games outside of a normal club training situation.
“And if you do that, you give yourself every opportunity to perform at a level that you might want to. That's just reward for effort.”
The winner of Sunday’s semi-final between New Town and the Greater Northern Raiders will face the victor of Kingborough and Clarence the Twin Ovals.
The Knights and Roos will be familiar with each other by Sunday, as they will meet on Saturday in their respective opening two-day games of the season.
Clarence is out to defend its title, while Kingborough will be hungry for some silverware after losing two white-ball grand finals last season.
Elsewhere in the two-day opening weekend, South Hobart-Sandy Bay will be buoyed by a pair of victories last weekend over New Town and University as they welcome the Northern Magpies to Queenborough.
Sharks’ opener Caelan Maladay continued his strong form with the bat, making 88 off 103 balls against the Bucks.
Maladay will be key for Richard Allanby’s side as they push for a finals berth after an off-season recruiting spree.
University won its first game of the campaign against Clarence last Saturday and will be aiming to take momentum from that match into its two-day date with Lindisfarne.
The Lions will likely be with some of its state players, including all-rounder Brad Hope who will add to Uni’s bowling and batting stocks.
In the women’s competition, the T20 competition continues on Sunday with undefeated Kingborough travelling to the TCA Ground to take on reigning premiers North Hobart.
The Demons are fresh off two astonishing super over victories over New Town last weekend and boast three of the top four run scorers this season in Melodie Armstrong, Josie Rose, and coach Julia Cavanough.
For Kingborough, the challenges don’t cease there, as the Knights host Clarence later on Sunday afternoon at Lindisfarne Oval.
The Greater Northern Raiders will travel down the Midlands Highway with a pair of matches at the TCA Ground against New Town and North Hobart set.
The Raiders won their first game of the season over Clarence last weekend, a huge result for a young side.