ST Patrick’s Heath Naughton has tasted the highs and lows of grand final cricket.
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But the veteran paceman said yesterday’s wash-out was particularly tough to stomach after 10 millimetres of rain came out of the blue to leave everyone at Les Cheesley Oval shaking their head.
While Naughton conceded chasing down 6-302 would have been a huge ask, he said it was shattering not to get a chance with quality batsmen Luke Restall and Jason van der Merwe in the side.
“I don’t think anyone saw it coming,” Naughton said.
“I heard some rain on the roof in the morning but didn’t think it was going to hang around for the entire day.
“Wodonga batted well, but I guess it’s just the unknown that gives you a hollow feeling.
“We wouldn’t have had anything to lose.
“Who knows what could have happened.”
Wodonga counterpart Robbie Jackson said the Bulldogs were equally as disappointed.
“I have had that happen in a grand final before,” he said.
“It’s disappointing especially after we were really happy with how Saturday went.”
CAW chairman Michael Erdeljac conceded the rain had taken the gloss off a good weekend of grand final cricket after he estimated a crowd of 900 people had watched Saturday’s play.
“How do you plan for that?” Erdeljac said.
“It’s disappointing.
“Full credit to Wodonga as they played very well.”