The Grampians Cricket Association representative side is set to take on the Australian Cricketers Association Masters team at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval on Friday night.
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Jarrod Blandford will lead the Grampians team after a successful Bendigo Country Week campaign last month.
The Tatyoon player said it was a great experience to be part of.
“It is certainly is a big honour to be involved and to captain the team,” he said.
“Probably just coming off the back of the country week side and the success we had there meant I got the captaincy again.”
The Masters game squad is similar to the country week team.
Blandford said it was important to reward the efforts of the team with much of the team playing on Friday.
“It certainly helps when you have a good bunch of players around you,” he said.
“There are no nerves just yet, but everyone will be a bit nervous before the game I think given who we are playing against.”
The team will be focused on putting in a good performance during the match but Blandford said having fun was also an important aspect of the event.
”I think as long as everyone enjoys it and goes out there prepared to have a red hot crack then it will be a success,” he said
“We are certainly taking the game seriously, the blokes on both teams have given up their time to put on a show, so you don’t want to go out there and expect something to just happen on its own.
“If we can play to our potential, I think we will go okay.”
“You always want to play against the best and to have the opportunity to face former Australian opening bowlers Doug Bollinger and Andy Bichel will be a big challenge.
Recently retired Doug Bollinger said he was excited to get involved in the match.
“It is good to come to these events and meet some of these people with some of the other past players from across the years,” he said.
“You gotta throw yourself out there and try different things, I have not been here before so I will make the most of it for sure.”
Bollinger retired from domestic cricket earlier this month and said the game provided an opportunity to play cricket in a more relaxed environment.
“This is my first ACA Masters game, so I think it is more about having fun,” he said.
“But if I get a couple of wickets, then I will be happy.”
The full ACA squad has been confirmed with the final additions to the team announced earlier this week.
The ACA Masters squad: Andy Bichel, Doug Bollinger, Cameron Borgas, Sean Clingeleffer, Mark Cosgrove, Brett Geeves, Dave Gilbert, Greg Matthews, Julia Price, Peter Sleep, Graeme Vimpani.
The game starts at 5.15pm at Alexandra Oval.
