Rain plays havoc on another cricket round

A Grade, Division 2

A WET and unpredictable day left many cricket games in the balance over the weekend.

Among those waiting out the afternoon to see if play could go ahead was Korumburra and Glen Alvie cricket clubs, which were set to play an A2 match at Wonthaggi’s Butch West oval.

“It was certainly a rain-affected Saturday. We all want to play as much cricket as possible, but in these cases, a little bit of strategy comes into it. It just adds an element of excitement,” Glen Alvie president David Hynes said.

“There are always four types of people in these situations – those who want to play, those who are thinking a little more strategically, those who just want to call it off and open the bar, and the young guys who are still learning and waiting to find out what to do next.”

Korumburra and Glen Alvie waited out the afternoon and opted to take to the ground at around 3.55pm, keeping the two-day format in play.

They managed to play 16 overs before the game was washed out.

Glen Alvie won the toss and chose to bat.

Korumburra bowler Reuben Foster made a quick impact on the game, dismissing Steven Smith for a duck.

Archie Donohue’s wicket was taken by Harry McNeil for seven runs, and Matthew Donohue and Matthew Dakin made 13* and 11* before the game was called.

“The umpires do a fantastic job helping the captains come to a decision,” Hynes said.

“Without umpires, there’s more pressure on the captains to decipher the rules and come to an agreement. There’s still a lot of positives that come out of days like these, and opportunities to learn.

“At this point of the season, it’s not as much about the ladder positions. It’s more about keeping everything safe and fair for the clubs involved.”

Korumburra president Glen Barrett said every result is helpful leading into Christmas.

“A Grade has been competitive this season, so we are right around where we want to be,” Barrett said.

“B Grade is still in its development stage, and we are hoping to see them get going in the second half of the season.”