Carpheads make a return to the crease

Narrandera Carpheads will have two teams, A and B grades, playing in the opening round of the Leeton District Cricket Association’s 2019-20 competition on Saturday at the Marie Bashir Park.

There will be no C grade for Narrandera this season, following the decision to give younger players now too old for Milliken Shield the opportunity to play for their club in B grade together with more experienced players of yesteryear.

Narrandera A and B grades will play Leeton and District in A grade and Yanco in B grade in T20s this Saturday, with B grade at 1pm and A grade at 3.30pm.

Narrandera Carpheads president Rohan Rehwinkle said the club was looking forward to the season and the return of some players from previous seasons. These include Selwyn Bale, who has returned to the area. He will join seasoned players like Rehwinkle, Brent Lawrence, Jono Doyle, Lachie Jess, Jack Williamson, Mark Tilyard, Brodie Perram, Connor Vearing, Tom Butter-field, Cooper Irons and Anthony Craig.

Rehwinkle said A grade retained a good nucleus of experienced players and would be boosted by the inclusion of some young talent.

New to B grade after successful seasons in Milliken Shield will be Will and Tom McLellan, Sam Williamson, Ky Bloomfield and James Smith. These players will no doubt build on their experience throughout the season guided by the more senior B grade players.

Rehwinkle said all LCDA teams had gains and losses this season but were expected to field strong teams blended with younger and older players.

Captains and vice-captains for the Carpheads A and B grade sides will be elected. Training is held at 5pm every Wednesday at the Henry Mathieson Oval.

At the LCDA level, there are three teams, including Narrandera, entered in A grade. Attempts to form a fourth team, the Leeton Colts, were unsuccessful.

Leeton District Cricket Association decided on the draw for the competition as well as the format of the competition for the upcoming season which includes no two-day cricket. Clubs will be playing Twenty20 matches each week leading up to Christmas, with the grand final to be played on December 15.

The 2019-20 competition will resume in January 2020, when the one day format will take over for the remainder of the season.

Clubs throughout the LDCA are finding it increasingly hard to attract players, especially some of the younger players so it is thought the shorter formats of the game could generate more interest.

While LDCA is hoping to be able to field a team in the Creet Cup competition, it will not enter a team in the O’Farrell Cup.

LDCA President John Warren said the association did not agree with the $500 entry fee for the O-Farrell Cup but remained hopeful it might be able to return next season.

Murrumbidgee Cricket Council has changed the O’Farrell Cup to a round robin competition and its president Mark Favell believes this could be a step in the wrong direction. The entry fee required was another issue as it was a big ask for the smaller associations, he said.