Cricket
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SKIPPER Paul Plummer and star batsman Connor Matheson will miss out on the chance to help extend Leagues Club's undefeated streak tomorrow night against the Yenda Jets.
After scoring the first century of the new first-grade season on Saturday, Plummer dislocated his finger during a regulation catching drill at training on Tuesday night and will be out for one week.
Meanwhile, Matheson who was rested last week will be in Sydney representing the NSW Country Under 17s in their two scheduled 50-over matches against City.
With arguably the team's two best players out of the side, it shapes as yet another challenge for the in-form Panthers, who will start as warm favourites against the up-and-down Jets at Exies Oval.
"We're actually going to be a bit light on this week," Plummer said.
"The boys will have to fend for themselves and it's going to be a really good challenge for them, and it'll be good to see how they go.
"Honestly, I have no idea who comes in. We had a talk but we don't know at this stage but we've got to make a couple of changes."
Plummer said he was unsure how the young Panthers side will cope with the newfound pressure to perform that has come with their stunning start to the season.
"Young boys, they don't talk a lot so you don't see much at all about what they're feeling," he laughed.
"But as long as their mind's on the task, that's all that matters."
The Jets, fresh off a thrilling one-wicket loss to a 10-man Diggers outfit on Saturday, will welcome back key batsman Pete Vardanega for tomorrow's match.
His inclusion will help steel Yenda's poorly-performing top order, which has made just one triple figure total in the first four rounds.
"We'll throw him in as opener and I'm just hoping he clicks into gear straight away," captain Shaun Stubbs said.
"It's going to help just having him around the place."
Despite Yenda's troubles with the bat, Stubbs believes his side is in with a good shot of inflicting Leagues Club's first defeat of the season.
"We just need a few blokes to fire and we can stick it to them," he said.
"It will be good to see how we bowl to Leagues and what sort of total they put on us, and we'll see where we're really at.
"If we can bowl them out for 170 max I reckon that's pretty good, considering they scored nearly 300 last week.
"They're not going to let up they're going to take it to us, all them young blokes, so we've got to be ready."