THE Bonnor Cup could stand to become a more crucial component of the season for Bathurst and Orange Inter District Cricket first graders following the move to a two-day draw.
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Bathurst District Cricket Association president Campbell Graham said it wasn't an easy choice to move the competition to a fully two day structure.
Other possibilities to include one-day cricket were floated but time constraints across the summer made those options too difficult.
Those were possible under a nine-team setup but the inclusion of Centennials Bulls required a rethink of the structure.
"There's a fine line between too much cricket and not enough cricket," Graham said.
"With the BOIDC playing two-day cricket we've had to sacrifice one-day games. We did look at playing a round of one-day games in Bathurst but that required us trying to find another five weeks.
"Trying to find 23 Saturdays in a 22-week competition, including finals, is very difficult. We've also allowed general byes for Western Zone cricket and the Australia Day weekend."
Graham said the lack of one-day games was the best option to allow all teams to play cricket against another.
The Bonnor Cup could stand to become a more crucial component of the season for teams due to the lack of short-form district cricket.
Those teams who fancy their big-hitting capabilities may consider nominating for the Orange-based Twenty20 competition.
"I know a lot of the guys in Bathurst love the one-day games because it gives them a bit of a hit out before the serious stuff begins but that balance between too little and too much cricket is a fine line," Graham said.
"As far as Twenty20 goes, the rep season is right at the start of the season with the Plan B Regional Bash. We don't have time to have any T20 before the rest of the season unfortunately.
"We had three out of the five Bathurst clubs play Bonnor Cup last season and we believe that's enough cricket.
"The format works and it would be great and it would be great to see 10 teams playing in it."
St Pat's Old Boys won last year's Bonnor Cup competition and were joined by Bathurst City and Centennials Bulls.
City Colts and Rugby Union didn't enter teams but did have players join other clubs as marquees in the Friday night competition.
The newly formed BOIDC competition is set to get underway the first weekend after the Bathurst 1000, on October 19.