We’re second best, it seems. Always will be, too.

The Plan B Regional Bash finals – a program that consists of three Twenty20 games, played on the one day – were to be staged at the Sydney Cricket Ground in December but due to the ground’s busy schedule that date was pushed back.

And now the venue has been changed, as well.

The Regional Bash finals will be staged at North Sydney Oval on February 17, Cricket NSW confirmed the move last week with the rescheduling a forced squeeze thanks to the closure and imminent knock-down of the next-door Allianz Stadium.

Basically, there’s a surplus of sports that need to be played at the Moore Park precinct and the SCG has to host them all – cricket, soccer and in the coming months, AFL, rugby union and rugby league as trials for the major winter codes begin.

“We want to ensure our best country cricketers continue to be rewarded by playing at excellent NSW venues” was the line being pedaled by Cricket NSW community cricket general manager Ivan Spyrdz.

Excellent venues, just not the best.

All the while, last Sunday, the SCG hosted the NSW Premier Cricket Twenty20 Cup finals, the Sydney grade cricket’s short-form competition.

Three games, one day, under lights on NSW’s best cricket ground – sounds familiar doesn’t it?

The same grace given to Sydney’s best isn’t afforded to country cricket’s elite, though.

Penrith, Sydney University, St George and a Sutherland side that boasted former Australian skipper Steve Smith all get the chance to play at the SCG, but the Central West Wranglers, Coffs Coast Chargers, ACT Aces and Central Coast Rush and those players don’t.

But, as Spyrdz said, Cricket NSW is committed to ensure “the Plan B Regional Bash continues to be celebrated at high quality elite venues”.

High quality venues, just not the best.

Country cricketers have long held an affinity with the SCG.

Playing with your association rep team in the SCG Cup was a privilege as the best XIs from across regional NSW fought to be one of the last teams standing and earn the right to play on the hallow turf of the SCG.

The SCG Cup, though, a 50-overs-a-side competition, bit the dust a few seasons ago.

In its place came the Regional Bash, and the first three installments of country cricket’s version of the Big Bash were all played out at the grand old lady of Australia stadia.

But not this year, there’s not one day in the next three months free for country cricketers.

Not one day in the summer. Not one day in the year. Not one.

The SCG is as much a part of country cricket’s fabric as it is a historic place for metro competitions and those players.

Some of the best players to pull on the baggy green and the baggy blue hail from country regions.

Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Trent Copeland, Daniel Hughes, to name a few, are NSW country cricketers all playing for the Blues or better.

North Sydney Oval, Spyrdz goes on to say, “is a significant part of Sydney’s rich sporting tradition”.

Does it mean much to country cricket and its players? No, not like the SCG does.

Cricket NSW’s funding for junior development and pathways for country kids is top notch, and they’ll be quick to say so, too.

But this isn’t about juniors.

This is about cricketers who’ve given everything to the game they love for years, decades in some cases. They’ve traveled countless kilometres to play two-day games, one-day games, Twenty20 games, often three times a week.

They’ve spent years picking teams, organising raffles, putting covers on and off, rallying numbers for training sessions ... keeping clubs afloat in the country, basically.

And now they feel they’re being ripped off.

So, Cricket NSW can say they care about the game in the bush until the cows come home, but unless the state’s governing body sits down and changes the decision to deprive country cricket just one day at the SCG this season then we all know where the bush’s best sit in their eyes.

Second best.

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