Hitting the phones: How a skipper is working to win top-grade comeback

Warrnambool's new skipper Cameron Williams is already turning his focus to 2022 after coronavirus forced the cancellation of the 2021 edition.

Williams is hitting the phone in a bid to generate interest for the prestigious tournament, which pits the best of Victoria's cricket associations against each other in an elimination event.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who will return to the team in 2022 after a three-year absence, has a 15-man squad in mind but will monitor form in the lead-up to the event.

"We'd love to go up there and get the association back to the top of the provincial grade," Williams said.

"I'm really keen to head up there and captain again. I haven't been captaining at club level so I'm really looking forward to getting into it."

Williams said players previously starved of opportunity were being considered.

He said West Warrnambool coach Alastair Templeton was a prime example.

The Panthers leader has clunked 469 runs per year on average as an opening batsman but has scarcely travelled to Melbourne Country Week in the past.

"If he does come into the side, he might be looking at a different role," Williams said.

"He may be someone, as an example, we could use to bat at five or six.

"He's a really quality player and one we'd like to have involved."

Warrnambool was to play the inaugural once-a-year exhibition game against a Horsham XI as a replacement for Melbourne Country Week but Victoria's COVID-19 "circuit-breaker" lockdown quashed the concept.

The match was set for this weekend but Horsham is now scheduled to play regular domestic fixtures on both Saturday and Sunday to make up for this past Saturday's last-minute cancellation.

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