CLUB PULLS OUT OF COMP

Northern Beaches exit

NORTHERN Beaches Cricket Club have withdrawn from the remainder of the Townsville A grade season on the eve of the launch of two-day cricket.

The Barra launched into Townsville’s top flight last season in a bid to give a promising crop of junior players their own pathway to A Grade cricket.

After 22 defeats in a row Northern Beaches forfeited their last start to Brothers and in an emergency meeting last week formalised their exit from this year’s competition.

Northern Beaches president Tim Connor said the club’s future in A grade remained uncertain.

Northern Beaches’ B and C Grade outfits have won a combined five of 15 fixtures this season but dwindling depth in the elite grade – made worse by the loss of players to work commitments, army postings and injury – has left the Barras unable to field a top side.

A faction of cricket officials attempted to mount a rescue mission by parachuting in fringe A grade players from rival clubs to deliver a defibrillator shot to Beaches’ playing stocks but depth in the wider competition was considered insufficient.

Townsville Cricket registrar Ross Shaw remained hopeful that Northern Beaches would return to A Grade with a full cohort of graduated juniors in the coming seasons.

“Northern Beaches approached A Grade knowing it was going to be difficult to start with,” Shaw said.

“The club is going strongly in juniors and will start building its own crop of senior players from its junior ranks in the coming seasons.

“We hope to see them back in A Grade over the next couple of years.”

Beaches’ exit will leave significant holes in the remaining eight weeks of the regular season, which includes four two-day matches.

Saturday’s A Grade schedule will continue as planned with Suburban Parks on a bye.