For a record fifth week in a row, the Bathurst District Cricket Association won’t have any action with all of Saturday’s games being washed out before they even begin.
In one of the longest rain enforced breaks in a season in recent memory, only one day of play has been completed since the Christmas-New Year break.
It is proving to be very frustrating for players and officials and they are hopeful that they can get back on the pitch soon.
As well as losing valuable Commonwealth Bank Cup games with the finals rapidly approaching, teams also had to suffer the one-day and BPL finals being postponed and both will now take place in March.
Today was supposed to be the conclusion to the two-day round 13 games and when last week was a no-go they became one-day matches with bonus points.
Now players will have another free Saturday and they are getting sick of it.
“Sometimes as the season drags on you welcome the odd week off but for three seasons now there have been a lot of washouts and it is starting to get pretty irritating,” ORC captain Mick Fardon said.
“From our point of view we’ve missed out on two matches against City Colts, two against St Pat’s Old Boys and now two against Bathurst City, and while we know both those teams are more than capable of knocking us off, they were all good opportunities for wins as well.”
ORC and Bathurst City will play the one-day final in March and they are shaping up as the two leading teams to meet again in the grand final, particularly if the washouts continue.
They were due to do battle again today before the rain. The washout means that ORC will retain the competition lead for now but Fardon is wary about the danger their rivals pose.
“It is important to try and stay ahead of them, with the rain that has been around the higher you finish the better the rewards and we have had a pretty good record against them in the last two seasons that we’d like to maintain,” Fardon said.
“If they click, they are a very, very good side and they have half a dozen players who can take a game away from you in no time so we have to hit our straps straight away. I want us to bat all our overs first and foremost, and with the ball I want us to avoid drifting in and out of the game.”
Rugby Union, St Pat’s Old Boys and Oxford Centennials are also still in the running for the finals but unfortunately for City Colts, the washouts have killed off their slim chances.
The ORC skipper said that like all teams, his players will find it tough when they do get on the field again after such a long break.
“It will be tough to basically start our season all over again this close to the finals. It is lucky we’ve got some good wins under our belt already and for the time being we’re pretty secure in the top two,” he said.
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