PORT City Magpies are expecting a strong Camden Haven tomorrow when the two teams do battle in round three of the Hastings River District Cricket Association competition.
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Haven has picked up a couple of strong Taree players for season 2013 and Pies captain Craig Grant knows one all too well.
He and new Haven all-rounder Daniel Stone played a fair bit of representative cricket together in their younger years.
Grant knows Stone is capable of a good fight and will come at the bowlers from ball one.
He compared Stone to one of his own batsmen.
"He bats a bit like Chris Cole, but he looks like a batsman," Grant quipped.
Stone will add more spice to a line-up which includes Daniel Minns and Sam and Nathan Kerr.
"All of a sudden a third of their team is very good," Grant said.
"They're all first XI players if they choose to be."
Grant has some firepower of his own to call upon though.
Cole saw the ball well early in the Hastings First XI match on Sunday at Oxley Oval, belting a couple of huge sixes.
"He's back. It looked ugly though," Grant said.
Tim Harris will get a lot more bowling responsibility this season.
"I'm expecting big things from him this year," Grant said.
He's capable of slowing the run-rate down by taking speed off the ball with his medium-pacers.
"I keep up to the stumps with him to put the batsmen under a bit of pressure," Grant said.
Jesse Schmidt and Adam Eckermann aren't available for the Magpies though.
He hadn't finalised the side yet, but Grant was confident of putting a competitive group of players on the paddock.
Laurieton Oval's batsman-friendly wicket will suit blokes like Cole and Stone.
"It's usually pretty consistent," Grant said.
"It's a bit of a road. The batsmen who plays his shots will get runs."
Wauchope RSL takes on Macquarie Hotel in the battle of the drinking establishments at Andrews Park tomorrow, while in the remaining match, Port Panthers Pirates host Comboyne.
