City Colts captain Dave Henderson says Bonnor Cup qualifying system needs to be 'ironed out'

It's not the rain that is the main cause of that frustration either.

After placing fifth in the Twenty20 competition run by the Orange District Cricket Association last season, City Colts had expected to once again be spending Friday nights under lights at Wade Park in the exciting format this season.

But the ODCA decided that the 2022-23 competition would have an eight-team format and Bathurst outfits City Colts, ORC and Bathurst City would have to play in a qualification tournament to see if they'd be included in the main draw.

Only two of those teams will get spots.

It's a change which Henderson is certainly not a fan of.

"I don't know what they're going to, but it's certainly got to be ironed out before next season because a lot of blokes aren't going to enter sides in a comp if they do this again," he said.

"You've got to put money up front to enter this comp and then you've got to bloody qualify for it, it's not fair.

"It is frustrating, I think it's being dictated by Orange a bit. We finished well above the bottom last season and I'm sure ORC and Redbacks are feeling a bit the same, it's just really frustrating, I don't have words for it."

When the news came on Friday afternoon that Colts' qualifier against ORC would not go ahead due to wet conditions it led to more frustration.

The three Bathurst sides are now likely to have to play double-headers to determine who advances, with next Sunday, November 6, the proposed date for those games.

Naturally Henderson knows the weather can't be controlled, but backing up after Saturday club cricket to play qualifiers on Sunday is something he thinks will disadvantage Colts.

"Sundays are for family, unless you're playing rep cricket. It makes it hard - it can sometimes it can be hard finding a side on a Friday night and it will be even harder on a Sunday when you've got an older side like us," he said.

"To find blokes willing to back up again after Saturday makes it difficult and on top of that, they're looking at a bit more rain next weekend."

When, or if, Colts get on for a Bonnor Cup qualifier, Henderson is hoping that new recruit Mazharul Bhuian will get the chance to showcase his skills opening the batting.

"He's been playing cricket the last few seasons in Sydney but he approached us last season by chance, he was looking for a game," Henderson said.

"He looks to be a very handy addition, he's exciting with the bat and certainly fits in to the way we play our cricket. I can't wait to see what he can do.

"He's had a couple of nice innings in Sydney, he'll go back on a Sunday and play down there. I'm not sure of the strength of it, but he's made some good runs and taken a few wickets.

"He's very, very exciting and I remember him saying last year he doesn't like to waste balls. Once he connects with them they certainly go."

As well as giving the new recruit a chance to shine, Henderson sees Bonnor Cup being an important part of the summer schedule as it is a way to give upcoming talents exposure to top grade cricket.

"Our mentality, with me being captain, is also to give the juniors a bit of a chance in first grade in this. Being only 20 overs a side you don't stand out in the sun all day and don't get a go," he said.

"We like to blood our young guys when we can, give them a go, and it does compliment our older blokes as well.

"It [T20] does suit us a lot, we've probably got the most experienced team in the comp really and we all get along well, we enjoy going and playing under lights of a Friday. It's a great format for us."

One idea Henderson has proposed is upgrading the lighting at the Sportsground in Bathurst so that Bonnor Cup games could be played here.

"I think we need to upgrade the lights at the Sportsground and we'll play our side of Bonnor Cup here, they play up there and then we meet in the middle," he said.

"You'd get all our juniors down there to watch, they don't wait and have to just look at the results on PlayHQ.

"The basis there is, they just need to upgrade them a bit and they'd be perfect."

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