Mitchell Cricket Council president Mark Frecklington admits transitioning the President’s Cup from a stand-alone 50-over competition into the prize on offer for the hugely popular Mitchell Twenty20 competition might be the best way forward for the council’s oldest piece of silverware.
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The 69-year-old, 50-over competition’s relevance has again been brought under the spotlight after Mudgee forfeited its final round clash against Bathurst, which was scheduled to be played at Mudgee’s Victoria Park on Sunday.
Lithgow and Orange will play the only President’s Cup match of the final round this weekend, but it’s a dead rubber with neither side able to push for a spot in the decider.
Bathurst will host the final on Sunday, February 25 against the Blue Mountains, some 18 weeks after the competition’s opening round.
The President’s Cup hasn’t been played on a stand-alone weekend since October 2012, when the carnival was used as a selection tool for the Mitchell open side.
With the emergence of the Central West Wranglers in the Regional Bash, there’s no longer a Mitchell open side selected.
Frecklington said a review of Mitchell competitions this off season would look at the feasibility of holding the Twenty20 Cup on the one weekend and bringing all associations within the council to the one ground, much like the old President’s Cup days at Bathurst.
“That has come into it to the thinking. That might be another solution,” Frecklington said.
“The T20 as the President’s Cup is a possibility. I was at the final of the T20 (last weekend) and the chat around was for it to be on the one weekend.”
The Mitchell Twenty20 Cup was held over two weekends this summer.
“Four associations there and mixing and mingling, it’s good to catch up, like the old President’s Cup days,” Frecklington continued.
“It’s something to look at next season.”
Mudgee’s forfeit has been a one-off, but the council’s northern-most outfit has gone winless in the three games it has played.
Frecklington said the MCC was committed to ensuring each of its associations had around “five or six” open rep fixtures each summer.
But he admitted scheduling issues with both Orange and Bathurst competing in the Western Zone Premier League made fitting President’s Cup fixtures into the summer difficult.
Bathurst skipper Jameel Qureshi said he’d prefer a shorter rep calendar but was quick to add more games, for the young players, helped further their development.
“For me personally, it’d be good to get it over and done with quicker … this year has been packed,” he said.
“But (the President’s Cup) can be a good opportunity for the young blokes to play some senor cricket.”
Bathurst will be gunning for a seventh consecutive President’s Cup in Sunday week’s final against the Blue Mountains.
That clash kicks off a bumper week of cricket for the Barracudas, with Qureshi leading his side in the Western Zone Premier League decider at Dubbo seven days later.
Qureshi said his side is looking forward to ending the season on a high after claiming the Mitchell Twenty20 Cup last weekend.