Haydn Pascoe bowling in a O'Farrell Cup challenge against West Wyalong in 2011.
Cricket
NEXT year's start date for the prestigious O'Farrell Cup could be brought forward to November after the Griffith District Cricket Association was robbed of a final challenge this season.
Despite applying for another crack at the trophy following last month's defeat to previous holders Holbrook, a "miscommunication" between the local association and tournament organisers has denied Griffith of a chance until next season.
Instead it will be Leeton who faces new O'Farrell Cup holders Wagga this weekend, with Deniliquin locked in for the following challenge on February 24 even though Griffith was tentatively pencilled in for one of those dates.
The scheduling fumble prompted frustrated GDFA president Brenton Harrison to propose bringing the window for challenges forward two months from January to allow for more opportunities.
It appears his pleas will not fall on deaf ears.
Wagga Cricket Association operations manager Grant Geaghan told The Area News: "It's something we'll definitely be looking at this year. We've discussed it at our own levels and it will be pushed at Riverina level for next season."
Griffith's O'Farrell Cup captain Marc Tucker welcomed the review.
"It's a bit disappointing for us not to get another chance this season but we should have taken the chance we had against Holbrook," he said.
"There's not a lot of rep cricket for our firsts anymore so it'd be good to have another two months of it."
Harrison assured it would be not only Griffith offering more challenges for the most coveted trophy in Riverina cricket if the O'Farrell Cup returned to a November kick-off.
"I understand Wagga and Albury play in the Konica Cup and SCG Cup. But Griffith only plays SCG Cup. Not all associations do. And if you lose once, you're out, and you have to wait until the New Year to play rep cricket again," he said.
"We love playing against the likes of Wagga and Albury because we like to measure ourselves against the best.
"Our top players only get to play together twice a season, and that's not enough because they don't play Creet Cup."
