After a lengthy Christmas break, Batemans Bay cricketers will be itching to get back out on the field this weekend for the resumption of the 2021/22 season.
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Both of the club's senior sides along with all four of its junior teams are scheduled to play this weekend, with some challenging matchups in the offing.
The Second Grade team, which secured its first win of the season in the final pre-Christmas round on December 18, will take on North Nowra Cambewarra this Saturday at Hanging Rock Oval.
Batemans Bay is currently in fifth place and North Nowra in third, while both teams have just one win to their names this season due to the numerous washouts.
It should be a fittingly competitive match to get the season back underway for the local team, which will be looking to make a statement going into finals.
Though North Nowra is two spots above Batemans Bay, the latter has taken more wickets this season, scored more runs, and has a better ratio of runs for and against. The only statistic in which the local boys trail is wickets lost, as North Nowra has 16 fewer dismissals.
A solid win in this game could see Batemans Bay crack the top four, particularly as Berry-Shoalhaven Heads is only marginally ahead in fourth place by virtue of a slightly superior percentage.
Third Grade, meanwhile, will resume its season with a match against Sussex Inlet this weekend at the Thompson St Sports Complex in Sussex Inlet.
Batemans Bay is languishing in last place on the ladder in this division, having lost three games and won none so far this year.
Sussex Inlet, meanwhile, sits third and has two wins to one loss, with superior statistics across the board. Batemans Bay's struggle does not come as a massive shock, as the Third Grade team is in a period of transition with a number of young new players.
So while this season may be a tough one, the experience will be an immense benefit to those youngsters.
The junior sides will get underway in Stage 3A with a fixture against Berry-Shoalhaven Heads at Hanging Rock on Saturday morning.
This will be a third-versus-fourth fixture in which Batemans Bay will be the lower-ranked team, but very little separates them on paper and the local boys have put forward some good performances this year.
In Stage 3B, Batemans Bay will take on Bay and Basin at the Surfside Main Oval.
This is likely to be one of the toughest games for any of the local sides this weekend, as Batemans Bay is last on the ladder against the second-placed Bay and Basin outfit.
The Stage 2 side will also have a tough clash, against an unbeaten Bomaderry team at Hanging Rock this weekend.
Meanwhile, Stage 1 will round out this round's fixtures with a match against Sussex Inlet, in which Batemans Bay will be the favourites.
All senior matches this Saturday, December 15, will begin from 1pm while all junior games will get underway at 8am.