The Riverina narrowly dodged the wooden spoon in the southern pool of the NSW Country Championships at the weekend, winning one of its three games in Wagga.

The side contained just two players from Cricket Albury-Wodonga — Lavington duo Liam Scammell and Brendan Klein-Boonschate — and Mackinlay said he hoped the competition’s other big guns made themselves available in the future.

“For Riverina to do really well you’d want your Luke Restalls, Robbie Jacksons and David Farrells to put their hands up,” Mackinlay said.

“If more had of put their hands up they certainly would have been looked at.

“All of the top players are invited.

“Some said no and some we didn’t hear back from.

“If we had our very best six from CAW and very best six from Murray Valley we’d be right on the money.”

The carnival ended on a positive note for the host team on Sunday, with Nathalia sports star Ash Quinn hitting an unbeaten half century in the Riverina’s 28-run win against Southern at Wagga Cricket Ground.

All-rounder Scammell and quick Klein-Boonschate found the going tough, with Scammell making just eight runs and taking one wicket from nine overs in three games, while Klein- Boonschate took 1-108 from 18 overs over two matches.

“The boys didn’t have their best carnival,” Mackinlay said.

“They encountered some really quality batting but it was a good eye-opener for them.

“They will be better for the experience.”

The northern pool will be held this weekend at Belmont with a NSW Country squad picked after that.