Cricket: TDCA president Chris Paterson says 2022/23 season will be a return to normal

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TDCA president, Chris Paterson, confirmed the return of two-day games, which were sidelined last season after the COVID-19 lockdowns pushed the start date to November.

"We're back to our normal season, so it'll be two rounds of one-dayers and a round of two-dayers," Paterson said.

"Players like the longer form of cricket, so it's good to have it back."

The first grade competition will have a different complexion this year, with just five teams set to take part for the first time in over a decade.

This is due to West Tamworth pulling out of the first grade competition, but Paterson said the rest of the grades will remain as they were.

"First grade will be a five-team competition, so there'll be a bye in first grade," he said.

"But there'll be six teams in the other three grades."

The biggest obstacle he and the rest of the committee expect to face this year is the weather.

As eastern Australia braces for its third consecutive La Nina weather event in three years, the TDCA knows that this year's early fixtures are likely to be impacted.

"Hopefully the weather doesn't play too much of a part," Paterson said.

"It's going to be a wet season ... it'll affect first and second grade a fair bit if we get the rain we're predicting.

"We can't [play back-up rounds]. Every week we can play, we're playing anyway."

Regardless, Paterson is feeling "very positive" about how the season is shaping up, and said the number of registrations from each of the clubs is promising.

"Everyone's started registering and all the clubs seem to be getting similar numbers, so that's good," he said.

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