Albany and Districts among several teams to withdraw from Country Cup to be played as T20s in Geraldton

Albany and Districts won’t defend the Belt-Up Country Cup title they won last season, with a revised version of the competition to be played in Geraldton this weekend — minus the Whalers. This season’s country cup will be squeezed into a sole weekend of T20 fixtures but it has lost significant firepower with Albany and Districts not the only outfit not sending a side. Peel, and Bunbury and Districts have also withdrawn from the long-running tournament. Albany and Districts and Peel played in last season’s grand final in Narrogin, the Whalers emerging three-wicket winners to seal their fourth title in history of the cup. However the Whalers are not one of the six men’s teams competing this weekend. The cup comes before the Albany and District Cricket Association have even started their 2025-26 season, scheduled to begin on October 18. A vastly different looking country cup will comprise of traditional teams Busselton-Margeret River, Geraldton and West Pilbara. A WA Regional XI outfit will also compete alongside a Wheatbelt side and a group of talented youngster under the Country Colts banner. Whalers captain Coen Marwick said there were a number of factors when their decision not to play. “At the end of the day not having the available players was the thing,” he said. “We put out an expression of interest and only had three players put their hand up which makes it a bit hard. “Obviously its really disappointing that we are going to be there.” Marwick did cite the extensive travel required and the timing of this year’s cup as factors that were less than ideal. “As a country sport player you only get that four week period between footy and cricket,” Marwick said. “So to have that competition in that period makes it hard when guys have footy trips, have booked holidays or are attending weddings. “None of the poms are here yet so its not great timing for our association. The cup will kick off with T20 games at 10am on Saturday, followed by a second round of fixtures at 1.30pm. Teams will play their final qualifying game at 9.30am on Sunday before the top two ranked teams meet at 3pm. Play-off games for third and fourth, fifth and sixth position will be at 1pm on Sunday before the title decider. A women’s competition will also be played this weekend, with four T20 matches between blue and gold teams.