Limiting the number of days clubs in the returning combined Bathurst-Orange Inter District Cricket competition have to travel will be a key to its success, officials have said.
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The combined competition, to feature all five Orange clubs and four Bathurst clubs, is planned to return this season after a 12-year break.
Then president of the Orange District Cricket Association, Adam Hornby, said the drive between the cities became an issue for clubs.
"The biggest problem was the travel. A lot of the Bathurst clubs weren't all that keen on the travel," he said.
A lot of the Bathurst clubs weren't all that keen on the travel.
- Adam Hornby, ODCA president in 2006-07
"Cricket was starting in Orange at 1pm. If people were working on Saturday they had to knock off work early."
It also occurred at a time when Orange's Cavaliers was dominating the competition.
"At the time it has run its race," he said.
While the trip hasn't got any shorter Hornby said it was "great to see it back" as it provided top competition for all the players.
"Everyone wants to play at the highest level and I believe a combined Orange and Bathurst competition is the highest level," he said.
He said the Bathurst competition was now stronger and it was excelling at representative level.
ODCA president Mark Frecklington said they were working on a draw that would aim to limit the number of days clubs had to travel.
"It is only about 45 minutes down the road but you don't want to travel every week," he said.
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