GROUNDHOG Day, deja vu, call it what you will. Taree West's start to the 2019/20 Mid North Coast Premier League cricket season is remarkably similar to the failed campaigns of the last two years.
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After three rounds the West sit on the bottom of the ladder after two losses and a washout. Captain Dean Mills took over the reins this year and said he expected the side to finally start to fulfill their promise. However, Mills concedes that so far his side has failed to live up to expectations.
Batting has again been the problem area - as last week's game against Port City showed. West collapsed to be all out for 149 after being 5/131 and the Hastings side lost just one wicket in the run chase.
"There are no excuses,'' Mills, who missed the game, said.
Taree West head to Kempsey tomorrow to meet Rovers. Like Taree West, Rovers also suffered a nine wicket loss last weekend when thumped by Wingham.
Opening batsman Zac Sheather and all-rounder Josh McLeod will miss tomorrow's game. Mills will return and will take Sheather's place at the top of the order with newcomer Clint Simpson.
Simpson has shown promise for Taree West, however, Mills pointed out that like the majority of the top order, he's making starts but not converting them into a match winning score.
While est's early season woes are a concern, Dean Mills added it's still early days.
He assured the West has plenty of time to turn things around as tomorrow is just the fourth round.
However, Mills said a win in tomorrow's game against Rovers at Kempsey is vital.
"We need to keep in touch with the leading sides,'' Mills said.
Wauchope RSL has the bye in tomorrow's round.
