Tourist Hotel Cricket Club names captain and new president ahead of the 2021-22 NDCA season

Narrabri District Cricket Association’s 2020-21 season first grade preliminary finalist, Tourist, has announced its 2021-22 season captain and president ahead of the coming campaign which is expected to start on either October 30 or November 6.

Tourist Hotel Cricket Club, formerly Civeo Tourist Cricket Club, held its annual general meeting last Thursday at which Luke Meppem was elected captain for the next year.

Meppem was the captain of the Crossroads Hotel Cricket Club first XI before it merged with Civeo Cricket Club two years ago to form Civeo Crossroads Cricket Club for season 2019-20.

It then became Civeo Tourist Cricket Club for the 2020-21 campaign, and is now Tourist Hotel Cricket Club going into the 2021-22 season.

Meppem has co-captained the side with Lachlan Cameron during the past two seasons, but Cameron has decided to play but step down from captaincy duties this season.

Meppem told The Courier he was disappointed that his team had lost in the preliminary final in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, and that his goal was to reach the grand final in 2022.

The club not only has a new name but also a new president this season, with Jade Lees elected into that role at last week’s annual general meeting.

Lees will also be one of Meppem’s vice-captains, while Jordyn Mowle is the other.

Tourist Hotel has lost batsman Jake Thurston for the 2021-22 season, who will play for RSL, but the club has replaced him with former RSL all-rounder Hamish Duncan.

Meanwhile, the Western Razorbacks held their annual general meeting last night where the Wee Waa-based club elected to only field a first grade side for the 2021-22 season.

Player numbers (with harvest work in mind) was the major factor for that decision.

Ty Baker was re-elected as the club’s president but a captain was not named on the night. The club plans to return to training before it announces its 2021-22 season skipper, which is expected to be either Baker or Justin Knight.

As reported in The Courier last week, Jarrett Tough will skipper defending champions RSL’s first XI this season, while Chris Watkins and Justin Saunders will captain the club’s second grade one day and T20 sides respectively.

Tatts Cricket Club has not yet held a meeting to decide its 2021-22 season skippers.

Meanwhile, NDCA will host its annual general meeting tonight.