North cricket season is looking optimistic
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This year will be a better benchmark for where the North of Scotland Cricket Association is at, according to vice-president Chris Blake.
The last couple of years have been turbulent ones for cricket in and around the Highlands, with the 2021 Senior League reduced to just five teams.
At their AGM recently, new proposals were passed in an effort to make the sport more “user-friendly” for those involved.
It includes an earlier start time for matches and a slightly shorter format – with league games now being 40 overs per side as opposed to 45.
Those changes have helped lead Blake to be more optimistic about the state of Nosca than he was this time last year.
He said cricket is hoping to put the impact of the pandemic firmly behind it.
“I don’t think things will get any worse,” Blake reasoned.
“I’m hopeful that there might be one or two more clubs coming back into the senior league, which would be great and bolster that competition.
“Things certainly haven’t got any worse, which is good.
“We’ve had some hints of some green shoots appearing.
“This is going to be what I’m describing as our first ‘normal’ season for two years after everything that’s happened with Covid restrictions and rules.
“This year will be a much better benchmark of where we are.
“I’m not suggesting that we don’t have problems to address, we do.
“But this year will be a much better benchmark for the health of the league.”
During the 2021 campaign Ross County celebrated double success winning the cup competitions.
The Strathpeffer club won the T20 Blast competition and also won the Senior Cup competition with Forres St Lawrence winning the Senior League.
