Orange’s record rainfall has claimed another victim – this time forcing organisers to delay the start of this year’s Friday night Royal Hotel Cup competition by two weeks.
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Wade Park has taken a hammering from the rain and the amount of play on the Group 10 rugby league grand finals last Sunday.
Orange District Cricket Association president Mark Frecklington said the first game would now take place on November 4 – two weeks later than planned.
Frecklington said they wanted to make sure Wade Park, and particularly the wicket area, was up to standard.
“We need that ground to start the competition. That’s the first time we’ve had to delay the start of the season.”
Eight teams will contest the Twenty20 premiership in 2016-17.
Lithgow and Blayney will join the ODCA’s five first grade teams and a new concept, a Barbarians-style combination of top second grade cricketers.
Frecklington said details of that team are yet to be finalised.
A draft draw has been compiled with the grand final set for the first Friday night in March.
Cavaliers defeated Centrals by 74 runs to win the Royal Hotel Cup last season.
Bureau of Meteorology records show that a whopping 650mm of rain have fallen in Orange since the start of winter.
