Local clubs affected by heat cancellations

In Division One and Two cricket the heat has reduced the season by one game.

For Berrigan Cricket Club the heat also became a lost opportunity to get some crucial points on the board with a match-up against fifth placed Nathalia.

Berrigan president Damien Taylor said it was frustrating for all players to miss out on their first game since the Christmas break.

‘‘I was away but it’s still a shame we weren’t able to get out on the park,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re sitting third and they’re in fifth so it would have been nice to knock off a team below us and cement our spot in the top four.

‘‘We won a few games before going into the break and had a bit of momentum so it would have been nice to play on the weekend.’’

If the heat manages to stay away from the region this weekend, Berrigan will play Cobram — who Berrigan beat in a two run thriller earlier in the season.

Although the match will be played in Cobram, Berrigan will go in as favourites as Cobram sit sixth on the ladder.

‘‘If we have a full strength side we should easily beat them it’s just hard with people on holidays,’’ Taylor said.

‘‘When we have a full strength side and everyone plays their part we can beat anyone, including first placed Katunga.’’

Murray Bowls Division games were also cancelled, however the majority of games were called off when teams were already halfway through their matches.

Berrigan Bowls Club captain Matt Hansen said his match was a third of the way completed before mercury ticked over 40°.

‘‘Our club drove to Nathalia to play game we knew would be cancelled and we had a 94 year old playing with us,’’ he said.

‘‘My rink had played eight ends when it was called.

‘‘We still made efforts to look after each other and look for signs of heat stroke in everybody.

‘‘Murray Bowls needs to implement a transparent system for making decisions on extreme weather events early,’’ he said.