Wagga Cricket open to working with footy codes

Sport is at a standstill due to the international health crisis with the region’s winter competitions delayed.

Later finishes are one option football competitions will consider if they can get onto the field at all.

However that could have a big impact on the next cricket season, which typically starts in early October.

Cricket NSW area manager Luke Olsen believes there is a willingness to work together during the unprecedented situation.

“Nothing is off the table,” Olsen said.

Olsen has had preliminary discussions with new . AFL Southern NSW regional manager Marc Geppert on what the plans could look like but didn’t believe anything can be committed to in the current climate.

However if the football codes had their seasons pushed back, which could impact the availability of grounds across the city, Olsen hoped alternative arrangements could be made to assist in grounds being made available to cricket.

Especially after Robertson Oval was unavailable to the association after January due to the AFL pre-season clash between Greater Western Sydney and Richmond last month.

“We are not bullish to think we can just say everything is back to normal for us as well,” Olsen said.

“Nothing is off the table but we are going to get to a point where we need to sit down with the (footy codes) across the whole area.”

Six grounds were used in first grade last season but only two are not used by football codes, plus the plethora of grounds for the three lower grades and juniors.

Wagga Cricket chairman Kerry Geale admitted the timing of the season just fell into place with tougher COVID-19 restrictions coming in days after Wagga City downed minor premiers South Wagga in the grand final.

If the grand final had of been scheduled a week later the Blues would have taken the crown.

Geale said it is hard to know what shape the new season could take.

“Like everyone else we just have to sit back and wait.”

First published by Courtney Rees on The Daily Advertiser