After two weeks of washed out games, the North Tamworth Redbacks will return to Riverside 1 this weekend with a full-blown festival.
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Fortuitously, the cricket is scheduled to restart on their Club Day, and the Redbacks have pulled out all the stops to make it an unforgettable celebration for the players, their families, and their sponsors.
"It was a great opportunity to get a bit of atmosphere and good vibes down there," North Tamworth first grade captain, Brendan Rixon, said.
"We've got a barbecue, a few marquees, and we'll have a jumping castle for the kids, so they can get around it and have an afternoon there."
This season, the Tamworth District Cricket Association has given each of the clubs one round in which each of their games will take place at the same venue across the day.
On Saturday, the Redbacks' first, second, and third grade sides will take on Old Boys. The lowest grades will start at 10am, with second grade to follow at 1pm and first grade to get underway at 4pm.
"I think the five teams in first grade in particular are very even," Rixon said.
"On their day, any one team can beat any other. So it's a really good position for the competition to be in."
One of the major changes made this season was to dedicate four rounds to each format and give each its own competition.
The T20s will begin this weekend and run into the first half of January, which Rixon believes is shrewd timing from the TDCA.
"At this time of year, a lot of people have commitments outside of cricket," he said.
"Work parties, family Christmas parties, all that stuff. So I think the shorter formats definitely work, and it's been quite engaging this year."
Part of the allure of the different formats is that they allow players with varying strengths to shine.
And though Rixon was cagey about exactly what North Tamworth's plans for Old Boys are, he acknowledged that some players will be given opportunities to make the most of their talents in the shortest version of the game.
"I won't name any names, but we've got some plans in place to give people opportunities," he said.
"That's what we've been talking about as a club, is preparing well and giving different personnel opportunities to excel. Then it's up to them to prepare properly and hopefully take that chance when it presents itself."
