CRICKET
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From its humble re-start as a senior club in 2008-09, St Pat’s Old Boys have had to put in a lot of hard yards to get to where they are at the moment, but it looks set to culminate in another major step forward this summer.
It has been revealed that the blue and whites look like fielding two sides in the Bathurst District Cricket Association second grade competition just a season after winning the premiership in the same grade.
Seven years ago the Saints re-entered the BDCA ranks via a couple of lower grade sides, and though they struggled initially they have steadily built, and after merging with the Old Boys club, they had a presence in first grade once more.
It didn’t translate to immediate success results-wise, but their renowned junior base has begun to bear fruit and that strength was highlighted last summer by their second grade win, as well as an all-St Pat’s grand final in president’s cup.
“It is definitely a possibility,” club secretary Matt Fearnley said of the additional second grade side.
“One of the president’s cup teams will come up if it goes ahead. It’s led by Billy Hall and Steve Geyer and they had a lot of good young players in their team last season.
“With where we are at as far as junior players and young talent goes, we think that this will give them a good pathway into first grade eventually, even though a lot of them aren’t quite ready for that level just yet.”
One of the other factors behind the expression of interest from Pat’s Old Boys was the bye.
A seven-team competition has caused complications with the draw and although it wouldn’t alleviate the issue in first grade, taking the bye out of the equation in second grade would help.
The establishment of a new club at CSU is a possible road-block, however.
“We put our hand up to fill that extra spot and get rid of the bye, CSU did indicate that they wanted to enter a couple of teams in senior cricket, but obviously they have problems with the length of the summer holidays,” Fearnley said.
“It is a good position for our club to be in, to be able to do this. Shane [Broes, club treasurer] has had a lot to do with driving the club along and building it up through the younger players and the atmosphere around all the teams is great.
“As far as our second team goes, we wouldn’t be putting our hand up to field it if we didn’t think they could be competitive, but the main idea is to give the kids an extra pathway through into the higher levels.”