Werribee’s opening-day bout with Box Hill panned out the same way as most round-one games in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association’s east-west group.
The pitch at Box Hill City Oval was not ready for play so the match will revert to a one-dayer on Saturday.
Tigers captain Shaun Dean had an inkling before confirmation of the cancellation filtered through on Thursday night.
“We didn’t really expect their ground to get up seeing their VFL side made the grand final,” he said. “Our ground was a bit dodgy as well so none of our elevens played.”
But the Tigers didn’t treat it as an off day, having their longest net and fielding session of the preseason on Saturday morning.
The week’s delay was a blessing for the injured trio of David Wolfe, Kyle Andrews and Wade McCall.
McCall is a long-term injury with a recently broken hand, but Wolfe (knee) and Andrews (hand) could go close to being included in the line-up for the second week, though both are considered long shots.
If Andrews is not cleared to play, it will pave the way for second XI wicketkeeper Mason Frenkel to earn a promotion after taking five catches and scoring 30 in a warm-up game.
One player who should make his much-anticipated Tigers debut is all-rounder Heath Pritchard. The new recruit could be the missing piece in the puzzle for last year’s runners-up.
“He’s just an old pro; he’s been around for a long time so we know what we’re going to get from him,” Dean said.
Most would have the Tigers figuring in the premiership calculations again this season.
But Dean isn’t looking too far ahead.
“It all looks good but, as we know, cricket is a funny game,” he said. “Just because we were up there last year doesn’t mean we’ll be there again.
“If we just think it’s going to happen, we might find ourselves a bit lower than we think.”
