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WITH only today’s matches to play, the battle for the Bathurst District Cricket Association’s first grade one-day crown is set to go down to the wire, with three sides still in contention.
A decision was made just prior to the start of the 2014-15 season to scrap the traditional one-day final.
The association will instead hand the title of limited overs champions to the team that finishes on top of the ladder after the completion of the one-day rounds.
This new first past the post method means going into today’s matches, Rugby Union shape as the favourites to pick up their first piece of top grade silverware since the Bathurst-only premiership began.
At present, ORC hold a narrow lead at the top of the table courtesy of their net run rate which is calculated on wickets and runs taken, scored and conceded.
Both the Tigers and Rugby Union have four wins from five matches with two bonus points.
Just behind that pair are Bathurst City, who also have four wins from five games but only one bonus point and a slightly inferior net run rate.
However, today’s games throw up some interesting variables with Rugby set to take on a struggling Blayney side. A bonus point win there would instantly end Bathurst City’s hopes.
Still, on form City will start warm favourites against St Pat’s Old Boys and at their best could also pick up a bonus point.
ORC look to have the toughest assignment as they face the unpredictable City Colts team at Loco Oval.
Colts are coming off a crushing defeat of Blayney seven days ago and are a chance to topple the Tigers.
“It’s going to be a very close finish, with Colts being a bit up and down but having Callum Hotham coming back into the side this week it makes things interesting in their game with ORC,” Bathurst District Cricket Association president Campbell Graham said.
“We made a decision at the delegates meeting before the start of the season that we would scrap the final because basically at the end of the game, the only team who cared a lot about it was the one who lost.
“The scheduling is also really tough, we’re right in the middle of representative season at the moment and up until Christmas, and after things start again the two-dayers are right in full swing and there might be more rep games to come.”
In second grade, the title is a race in two with Bathurst City level on points with St Pat’s Old Boys, but Redbacks boasting a clearly superior net run rate.
But both sides will effectively be playing a one-day final anyway when they meet this afternoon at Morse Park 1.