IT’S time for Bathurst District Cricket Association’s first grade teams to show their big-hitting capabilities as the Twenty20 series of matches begin.
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The T20 matches, all played within the space of three weekends, were used not only to help the season end slightly earlier but to help Bathurst’s leading cricketers develop their game in the growing format.
Clubs will be kept busy, as for the final two weekends teams will play double headers.
Making this Saturday’s three matches all the more exciting is how evenly the competition is poised.
St Pat’s Old Boys claimed the one-day title with a record of three wins and one loss.
The next four teams in the competition – Centennials Bulls, Bathurst City, City Colts and ORC – have shared their wins and losses evenly.
Rugby Union got themselves on the board last Saturday and will be hungry for more success in the shorter format.
The competition returns to its round one matchups this Saturday.
First faces last when St Pat’s and Rugby Union play at Morse Park 1.
On Morse Park 2 Bulls and Colts face off while over at the Sportsground Bathurst City play ORC.
Teams will be contesting for half points in the T20 matches (two for a win as opposed to four points during the one-day games).
Teams were originally set to play a second set of matches on Saturday but with a strong Bathurst presence in the Plan B Regional Bash, being held in Orange this weekend, the BDCA decided to push these matches back a fortnight.
BDCA president Campbell Graham said the T20 fixtures will help Bathurst keep pace in the format with their Central West rivals.
“Twenty20 is the way of the future. I know a lot of pursuits prefer the longer formats but there’s going to be more representative T20 matches in the future, and we’re already seeing that with the Regional Bash,” he said.
“Bathurst is, I believe, a long way ahead of Orange when it comes to the longer formats but they’ve been playing T20 a lot longer than any other association.
“The feedback about the T20 games so far has been good and we’re looking forward to seeing how they go.”
Graham said it’s great to see the BDCA first grade competition in the midst of such a close contest as the Twenty20 matches begin.
“With a win being only two points it means no-one will be out of finals reach after these games,” he said.
“It sets the rest of the season up perfectly for a great finish. Everyone will still be in the hunt.”