Forbes Cricket Association’s 2014/15 season gets underway today with two intriguing matches scheduled at South Circle and Grinsted Oval.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Defending A-grade premiers Forbes Inn (Forbes High last season) will meet the Golf and Sportsman’s Hotel Tigers (formerly Van Tigers) at South Circle this afternoon while Post Office Hotel face newcomers Masterstroke Painters at Grinsted Oval.
VC Reid has the first round bye.
Forbes Cricket president Andrew Glasson – also Post Office Hotel batsman – said yesterday’s hot, windy weather would be good for the two turf pitches, which had looked very green earlier in the week.
Today’s games will both be played in the 40-over format.
Glasson said cricketers from Forbes Inn and VC Reid have been seen practising in the nets, while Masterstroke Painters were a welcome addition to the competition.
Featuring Luke and Clint Hurford, and emerging young cricketers Josh and Isaac Vale, the team has spent the past couple of summers in Parkes’ B-grade competition.
Meanwhile, Post Office Hotel have encouraged veteran Rod Sharpe to return to the field.
“We’ve got Rod Sharpe returning to cricket after a long absence, and he’s always competitive, whatever he plays,” Glasson said.
Glasson said he hoped there would be fewer interruptions to the coming season, after a wet summer in 2013/14.
“We lost a little bit of cricket to a wet summer so hopefully this time we can stick around a bit longer.”
Forbes and District Cricket hope to play two rounds of twilight cricket at Botanical Gardens before the Christmas break.
The town team also makes its debut this weekend, with the Forbes XI to travel to Wellington tomorrow for the first round of the Country Plate knock-out.
Glasson said a few regulars would be unavailable but hinted that both Jason and Jamie Hoswell would be in the team, while VC Reid player Jacob Reid may make his town debut.