The O’Farrell Cup faces an uncertain future after Cricket Albury-Wodonga received the fourth forfeit of the summer.
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Leeton withdrew late last week after Cootamundra, West Wyalong and Young also failed to field a side.
“As a person who’s very passionate about O’Farrell Cup and its history, I’m just extremely disappointed that we’ve had the number of forfeits we’ve had,” Albury-based Cricket NSW official Robbie Mackinlay said.
“It’s now a farce that you’ve got four forfeits in the last six challenges.”
The O’Farrell Cup is the symbol of supremacy in the proud Riverina zone after starting on November 29, 1925.
It’s now a farce that you’ve got four forfeits in the last six challenges.
- Robbie Mackinlay
Teams challenge the holder at its home ground.
However, after claiming the Cup against Holbrook on December 2, CAW has played only Ardlethan-Barellan, Temora and Yass.
The latter pair has a 150-minute trip to the Border.
Mackinlay stressed he was not being critical of the association’s volunteers.
“If an association is going to make a challenge, they’re obviously committing to it,” he said.
CAW chairman Michael Erdeljac said it’s disappointing given the work the home association puts into a defence, such as preparing the wicket.
“The O’Farrell Cup is steeped in history and I understand the smaller associations will struggle to field sides going forward, but it’s hard for these associations to win if they keep forfeiting,” he said.
“I think they need to look at whether they can actually field sides or not.”
One of Riverina cricket’s most staunch stalwarts – 30-year Cootamundra secretary Pat Kerin – said it was a sad day when the association forfeited.
“We were pretty well shattered,” he said.
“This is only the third time we’ve forfeited in 72 years.
“We’re probably lucky to fill a rep side, let alone O’Farrell Cup, we probably shouldn’t have put our hand up.”
CAW now meets Wagga.
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