From new signings to the always-popular ladder predications, how this season will play out is anybody's guess.

But with the league reverting back to a combination of two-day and one-day games, there is one certainty, which is that we are in for a cracking year of cricket.

Part seven of the huge season preview featured Centrals and their quest to impress in the club's 50^th season and next up will be St Pat's Old Boys.

Could the 2021/22 season gone any better for the Saints? Not only did they take home the BOIDC title over minor premiers Cavaliers, but they also were victorious in the Royal Hotel Cup final...also taking down the Cavs.

But to say it was the perfect season would be wrong. Saints lost four games during the regular BOIDC season, all to different opposition. While this ultimately did not end up mattering, it is proof that no team can be locked in for success on any given week.

So what will the Bathurst boys be doing to try and make sure they can repeat their grand final success this season?

Well, they have maintained 11 out of the 13 regular players from last season and to fill the gaps will be a string of players promoted from within.

"It's pretty good for continuity and cohesion," captain Adam Ryan said.

But who are those two losses you might be asking. Well, they arguably two of the biggest losses that any team has suffered this season...that of Nic Broes and Angus Parsons.

Broes was arguably the best player in the BOIDC last season and garnered rep honours for Bathurst, Central West Wranglers, Western and a NSW Country side that competed at the Country Invitational Tournament against sides from across Australia.

Overall, Broes scored 850 @32.69 in all competitions last season and took 41 wickets @15.66. He also managed eight catches and two run outs to round things out.

Not to be outshone, Parsons will also be a huge loss.

The young bowler claimed 46 scalps across all competitions in 2021/22 @20.63, while also garnering Western representative honours.

So what kind of expectations does Ryan have going into the season?

"The goals are consistent, repetitive efforts and positive attitude," he said.

"Hopefully we can build on our club culture that we've worked on over the years and give a bit of time to our helping our juniors."

So who does he think will be the teams to watch out for?

"I think Rugby and Cavs will be pushing the bar again this year," Ryan added.

"They pushed us all the way in those last two finals last season.

"Saying that, reading a few of the write ups so far, there are some good additions to all the sides and I think this might be the closest contested season to date."

So with hopes of going back-to-back, what kind of squad will St Pat's be taking into the season?

Ryan said it will look a lot like this: Bailey Brien, Andrew Brown, Cooper Brien, Connor Slattery, Adam Ryan, Derryn Clayton, Joshua Wilcox, Brendon Cutmore, Jack Goodsell, Mitchell Taylor, Mathew Fearnley, Hayden Goodsell, Jay Webber, Bailey Webber, Phil Wright and Charlie Hutchins.

Now, where does this leave them placed in our predictions. Well, the easy choice would be to say they take a step up in the regular season and finish as minor premiers...but we're not going to do that. Saints finish 2022/23 in second place.

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