Weather forecast cruels season’s opening round

The weather forecast was cruel to the Bunbury and Districts Cricket Association last week, causing a cancellation of the opening round.

With rain of late, ovals and pitches looked a picture for the new season, with local cricketers eager to enter the fray — but then came the bad news.

With a weather bureau forecast of storms for Saturday, the BDCA executive cancelled the round.

But worse, there was no rain.

“We were certainly handed a lemon,” said association president Paul Gardiner, who sat out Saturday in bright sunshine.

“It was a case of you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t.

“We will be hoping to play last week’s round later in the season but will decide that at an executive meeting.”

Once again the weather bureau forecast for tomorrow is wet, but this time the BDCA is unlikely to pre-empt the call.

Tomorrow at 12.30pm, Leschenault take on reigning champions Colts, Dalyellup Beach entertain Eaton Beavers and Hay Park play host to Marist.

Arguably the toughest task of the round is for Dalyellup Beach, who face last year’s minor premiers and grand finalists Eaton — who once again have a powerhouse side on paper.

A massive bowling attack will cause headaches for the Beavers selectors, with captain Clint Hewson, Bunbury country week skipper Clayton Caltsounis, Arron Quartermaine and new club president Steve Barron and Scott Prentice dishing up the pace — followed by former WA Country XI all-rounders Mat Foreman, Corey Fitt and cricketer-of-the-year James Hillery providing the Beavers with spin.

And as if Eaton’s batting of Foreman, Hewson, Caltsounis, Hillery, Stu Clarke and Quartermaine was not powerful enough, the coffers have been topped up with big hitting Jake Rudd, who is back into contention after a quiet one last season, together with all-rounder Fitt and former Marist and Colts middle order man Rocky Marsh.