NATHAN Fitzgerald is getting ready for another season at Sutherland District Cricket Club.
As sure as the sun rises in the east, you can bet the durable fast bowler Fitzgerald will be taking the six stitcher in his hands when the Sydney Cricket Association season starts on Saturday, September 26.
With more than 400 grade wickets, and well over 300 in firsts, for the club, Fitzgerald, 29, said the players eagerly await the new season.
For 13 years Fitzgerald has laboured like a bricklayer in the summer heat and sun and produced the goods.
This will be his second season as first grade skipper.
"Pre-season is going well, our coaching staff are high-calibre and all live locally," Fitzgerald said.
"We haven't lost any players of note, picked up Jaryd Biviano, a wicketkeeper from Randwick who was originally from Sutherland.
"And we have picked up Jason Hayward, a fast bowler from Bankstown."
Tim Coggan, from Canberra, has joined to bolster the batting and batsman Scott Pickering is back at the club after taking a break last summer.
Sutherland made the semis and drew the penultimate game to eventual premiers Manly at Manly Oval.
Sutherland's coaching staff personnel include Shane Duff as head coach, the former head coach of Sydney Thunder and Sri Lanka.
Bowling coach is former New Zealand Test and one- day player Daryl Tuffey.
Tuffey lives at Caringbah and he also played for Sutherland. He played 26 Tests for New Zealand taking 77 wickets with his spinners.
He played for Bankstown last season and then retired.
Sutherland club president is former NSW and Australian Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon.
