The opening carnival in an over-67 inter-regional series ended disappointingly after the loss of a host of players before the final match meant there were only 14 players left for the clash.
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Carnival spokesman Mike Cashman said the carnival was disadvantaged by it following the over-60 state championships in Penrith last week.
Three sides contested the three-day carnival at Tamworth, although Cashman said the loss of “about a dozen” players following the tied match on day two on Tuesday meant “we couldn’t really identify two teams” for the final game on Wednesday.
He said: “Yesterday [Wednesday] was a bit of a non-event.
“We thought it would be good at the time to have it on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
“But we were always struggling wise. Some guys left to go back home.”
Despite the flat end to the carnival, Cashman expects no such issue will befall the three remaining carnivals, to be played in Newcastle, Penrith and Quirindi this season.
“They’ll be better attended than this one,” he said.
“Coming straight after Penrith knocked it around.”
The Tamworth event will be best remembered for the tied match between the Western Wildfires and the Bushrangers on Tuesday.
Both sides finished on 4-189.
Cashman rightly said a tied match was “very unusual in any form of cricket”. So unusual, a TV report on the match incorrectly stated it was a draw, he added.
The Wildfires were one behind with one ball to go, before a leg bye saw the game finish in a tie.
