Western Zone chairman Mark Frecklington said the competition, last won by the Bathurst District Cricket Association two years ago, will return this season after previous administration deemed the tournament had “gone backwards” in the five years it ran from 2011-12.

Frecklington said the opening round of the tournament, which will be a double-header on the weekend of October 7 and 8, will serve as the ideal tool for zone selectors as they endeavour to pick a squad capable of defending last year’s country championship win.

Cowra, Parkes, Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange representative sides have nominated for the premier league competition.

“We’ve moved away from inter-council stuff as primary means of finalising a zone team,” he said, with no plans for the old Mitchell, Lachlan and Macquarie senior clashes this summer.

“I think last year was a bit of an aberration. The idea to can it was tossed around (last year) and that was the way we went, but as soon as it was gone players called for it to be back.

“I think it’s best for the zone to have it back.”

Western takes on North Coastal in its opening round clash of the country championships on November 3 – that’s two week’s earlier than last season’s round one clash.

“And we’d want the team picked a couple of weeks before that, too,” Frecklington said.

“So we’ve got the Saturday-Sunday stuff to kick it off.”

He said the early start date – most associations start on the same weekend – won’t be a problem for any cricketers holding aspirations to play rep cricket this summer.

“They’ve probably already started their preparations for the season,” he added.

There’s another round of premier league cricket scheduled for Sunday, October 22, too. A Zone squad is likely to be picked after that third round.

Frecklington confirmed last year’s coach Matt Crawley won’t be at the helm of the zone side this summer after standing down from the post.

“We haven’t finalised the coach yet, but we will soon. And Greg Nichols will manage the side again,” he said.

Dubbo takes on Bathurst and Cowra hosts Orange in the opening round. While Dubbo travels to Orange in round two and Parkes will take on Cowra.