In the days leading up to the start of the 2023/24 Bathurst and Orange Inter District Cricket competition, we will bringing you all the information you need to know about the eight teams set to take part.
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From new signings to the always-popular ladder predications, how this season will play out is anybody's guess.
With ORC and Centennials Bulls no longer in the competition, half the league will play finals, so let's give it our best shot to figure out who those teams will be.
If there's one team who can cannot afford to remain stagnant in 2023/24 it's surely Bathurst City.
The Redbacks finished second last in 2022/23, only ranking above Centrals, and it's something skipper Mark Day is desperate not to repeat.
In fact, Day is very insistent on changing the culture of the first grade side.
"We started pretty early this year and made a decision as a club at the end of last season that we were done with being mediocre," he said.
"We've put in an eight-week pre-season so far and it's gone really well."
City's squad largely remains the same, they have added Jack Baldwin from the Southern Highlands but have lost Michael Hutchison and Michael Tobin to retirement as well as Campbell Baker.
The players Day is most excited about are not technically new additions but will be able to play more games with no more junior cricket commitments.
"Liam Cain is one I really think will have an outstanding year," he said.
"He showed glimpses of it last season, taking the new ball when he was available. He couldn't play a lot of cricket for us because of school cricket commitments but we'll get him back for the whole season which is huge.
"Young Blake Kreuzberger is in the same boat, ready to explode.
"He won't mind me saying he didn't have his best year but he's ready. He's put the work in."
So, how does the Bathurst cricket veteran think his side can rise up the rankings and challenge for the title, something he cited as a real possibility.
"People will laugh at us, especially with the season we had, but if you're not in it to win it then what are you doing really," he said.
"We were in a lot of games last year but we lost out with just not doing the one percenters right.
"As cliched as it sounds we don't want to get beaten on attitude and effort this year and I really think that has changed in this pre-season. There's a whole new vibe within this first grade squad and it's feeling good.
"It's hard to go past Cavs as a favourite, every year they seem to be able to keep the same group of boys on the field. They are a very good group, they will be up there again."
Here's who the skipper said will be amongst the first grade group: Mark Day (C), Cohen Schubert (VC), Clinton Moxon, Mathew Holmes, Oliver Simpson, Blake Kreuzberger, Liam Cain, Muditha Adikari, Marcus Turnbull, Connor Whale, Josh Knox, Jack Baldwin and Jed Cruickshank.
With all this said, where do we see City at the end of the season? We're predicting a 5th place finish.
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