The Super 8s cricket carnival planned for Saturday was postponed with downpours hitting the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In place of their annual Twenty20 competition, Armidale District Cricket Association opted to host a Super 8s tournament and raise funds for the Rural Fire Service.
Games are due to be played at the Sportsground and The Armidale School's backfield throughout the day with the final under lights at night.
Armidale District Cricket Association president Mike Porter and treasurer John Croft made the decision on Friday but no one is complaining.
"Not at all, we are having good rain today [Saturday]," Porter said.
"When we've had dry times like we have had, anytime is a good time to rain so we will take it all.
"Things have responded so well, the grounds are growing, the wickets look terrific.
"A lot of them [players] are farmers or come from farming backgrounds so it is good for everyone at the moment.
"Good for everyone, good for the economy."
The carnival was set to be a fundraiser for the Rural Fire Service and it will still go ahead.
Porter said the association is trying to come up with a date for it.
"We will take the rain and we will move it to another day," he said.
"It will be on a Sunday between here and the end of the season but the most likely is in two weeks' time time on the 23rd but we're not sure.
"We will look at the long-range weather forecast and try and pick a day where we are reasonably assured of no rain.
"John and I had a conversation yesterday and we will talk to a couple of others and we will make a decision on that.
"We want it go ahead."
With it being the first of its kind in town, Porter was surprised with the "very good" response the competition received.
"There seems to be a lot of interest and we probably could have had more teams," he said.
"We have got eight teams.
"We can handle that on two grounds but we had a couple of other people wanting to nominate teams but it was too late by the time they got on to us."
Super 8s features teams of eight players with seven who bowl one over each and run "for about an hour" and Armidale's tournament has an emphasis on being a social environment.
"We are just trying to create a fun atmosphere and bring the teams and clubs together," Porter said.
"We are going to raise a bit of money for the RFS."
Teams: Clarrie's Angels, T-Hunters, G-town Sloggers, The Pastramis, 8 Balls, People's Front of Judea, Maximums, TAS Eight.