THE captains of Wagga Cricket clubs have urged the governing body to re-evaluate their approach to the wet weather policy, expressing their frustration at the perceived inconsistency of its implementation.
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Wagga Cricket's match committee made the decision to call off all matches in all grades at 5pm Friday after two days of rain, but players woke up to fine and warm weather on Saturday.
In three previous rounds this year one or two of the three scheduled first grade matches were played, with the other fixtures called off due to wet grounds.
The South Wagga-Lake Albert loomed as the match most likely to be played given the match was scheduled at a later than usual time of 2:30pm, and Robertson Oval is one of the city's best draining grounds.
"Everyone was under the impression that we would be given every opportunity to play the game. That's why we covered the wickets on Thursday and we put extra covers on because we knew there was a fair bit of rain coming," Blues captain Luke Gerhard said.
"Whether you start a bit later (than scheduled) or whatever, but we're a bit disappointed we didn't get a game in.
"We put so much time into covering wickets, over six hours, and probably five or six blokes sacrifice time at work. To be called off Friday night when Saturday was a perfect day, I think most teams would have got on at some point of the day.
"When we turned up on Saturday I thought our ground was right to play. It was the luck of the draw for us to be at that ground, but in the past we've been in the opposite position. In the last two years we've missed three games where other teams have got on and got a result."
St Michaels captain Beck Frostick reiterated his stance after round one was washed out that calls should be made on a ground-by-ground basis.
"My personal view is you call it off on the day, and not the night before. I think it's a bit unfair if you call off every ground in Wagga as well, if one ground's unplayable then that's the luck of the draw," he said.
"At Robertson Oval they had until 6pm to start play and the game wasn't scheduled until 2.30, you'd think you'd give yourself every chance of trying to get on.
"You don't see a whole round of Sheffield Shield called off, it's the luck of the draw and you need to get over it if you're on the bad end of it.
"All the boys give up their own work time to cover wickets and try and put the game on. The least the board can do is give every chance for the game to be played, and leave it up to the umpires."
Kooringal Colts skipper Keenan Hanigan was hopeful the approach to the wet weather policy could be tweaked to ensure as much cricket as possible is played.
"I just don't understand why they called it off so early. You may not get on, but by calling it off Friday you're giving yourself absolutely no chance," he said.
"South Wagga and Lake Albert were probably robbed of a game, to be honest with you. You can't call all games off (at once), it should be based on when you rock up to the ground and then you make a decision.
The weather forecast for this weekend is even worse, with 40-80mm of rain forecast for Friday. Wagga City is due to play Wagga RSL in another day-night fixture starting 2:30pm at Robertson Oval.
"If they've done this now, then they probably have to keep doing it going forward. If they call all games off Friday night or Saturday morning, then they probably need to call that game off now as well to be honest," Hanigan said.
"Going forward they probably need to change the way they look at it."
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