The Eagles needed results to fall their way at the weekend and chase down Tallangatta’s 294 to have any hope of being part of the CAW Provincial top six for a second successive year.

But Saturday’s lunchtime downpour couldn’t have come at a worse time, the umpires abandoning the day’s play at 2.30pm at Kelly Park.

Not a ball was bowled in Provincial cricket, with teams sharing the points.

It meant a draw between St Patrick’s and Lavington almost sealed both teams their spot in the first week of finals.

But Belvoir captain Ryan McNeil said the Eagles would pick their strongest team and look to win against wooden spooners Wodonga Raiders over the next two weekends.

“Mathematically we can still make it, but rather than worry about finals we’ll just look to finish the season on a high with a win,” he said.

“Raiders have clearly improved in the second half of the year and have been competitive in every game they’ve played since Christmas.

“We can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal.”

McNeil said the umpires had little or no choice but to call off the second day’s play at Kelly Park.

“When I saw the forecast I thought we might lose a bit of time, but not the day,” he said.

“It just came at the wrong time.

“It didn’t stop raining down there until about 3.30pm and realistically that would have given us another half hour before the umpires had to make a decision.

“But even before the heavier rain there were issues with the bowling run-ups and that would have made it almost impossible to start before 4pm.”

McNeil said a slow start to the season and squandered chances against some of the better teams had cost Belvoir a spot in the finals.

“We lost those first two games of the year against North Albury when we were probably a little under strength and a little under done,” he said.

“Then we lost to St Pat’s by 10 runs and Wodonga by 15 when we were in positions to win both those games.”

McNeil was confident Belvoir would return better next season.

“We’ll keep the same squad together — Nat Sariman will be here from the start of the summer and I think Drew Cameron will just get better and better,” he said.

“Drew has a couple of centuries to his name this year and we’ve been on his back a bit, knowing his potential.

“But now he’s got a start I’d expect he will just continue to pile on the runs.”