This Saturday, North and South will take to the pitch for the fourth year in a 16-a-side, two-innings game.

The teams have been pre-selected and this year is shaping up to be the year of great contention as the South look to regain the trophy.

So far North ha ve taken home the win twice in a row, but the South say it’s their year for the win.

Manager of the South Bill Muller said the concept behind the day is to offer the community a day to relax and have some fun.

“It all started out through the drought as a booster to the community and as a fundraiser for the Illabo sporting bodies.”

But now it means a lot more to the strong community.

“There is a fair bit of pride in that whoever wins gets to sledge it for 12 months,” he said.

In previous years almost 200 people turned out to watch

the match with similar numbers hoped to be reached this year.

For those unfamiliar with the rules, the men’s game will see two overs and two bats a side with an accumulation of runs.

Due to a number of trees scattered throughout the field, any tree which a ball hits will result in an out on the full.

The South, lead by Anthony Harp, will be decked out in

green and gold while the North, lead up John Hogan, will don blue.

Much like major sporting matches, each team even has sponsorship from local businesses including the Illabo Pub, Illabo Engineering, Landmark Cootamundra, Rabo Bank, Hart and Bray, Ag’N’Vet, JJS Glasses and Dunks Excavations Cootamundra.

Umpires for the men’s game will be Tim Kent and Robert Belling.

A children’s match will be played in the morning before the men’s compeition begins around 11am.

The women’s teams will play during the lunchtime period before the men return to the pitch to put the battle to an end.