One race meeting has been cancelled, another is in doubt, and if things don't change the weekend's cricket could also be abandoned.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Extreme temperatures have hit the region this week and a number of towns and cities have seen the mercury rise to around 10 degrees above the long term average for the month.
That, combined with the hazardous air quality from bushfires across the state has had a severe impact on a number of sport and community events and it looks set to continue.
Friday night's greyhound meeting at Dawson Park was cancelled on Tuesday morning due to the expected high temperatures, while Racing NSW announced Saturday's meeting at Dubbo Turf Club was "in doubt".
The temperature on Saturday is expected to hit 45 degrees and Dubbo District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Jeff Shanks stated if that is the case, no games will go ahead.
This weekend marks the final round of senior cricket before the Christmas and New Year's break but fixtures across the three grades are in doubt.
A final decision on Saturday's cricket will be made at 6pm on Friday, in line with the DDCA's severe heat policy.
READ ALSO:
That policy states if the forecast temperature for Saturday is above 42.1 degrees at the time all third grade games will be cancelled and if it is tipped to be above 44.1 then first and second grade games will be called off as well.
If it is below those figures then matches will go ahead but if the temperature rises to those numbers at any time on Saturday the games will still be called off.
"It is forecast to be 45 at the moment so we'll keep an eye on it," Shanks said.
"If we do play then there will be additional drinks breaks and water will be run out to make sure no-one would get heat stroke."
If cricket is called off, it will mark the third time DDCA competition has been abandoned because of the heat.
All the weekend's senior cricket in Wagga was cancelled as early as Monday, while play in Tamworth is also in severe doubt.
"The fact we're looking at four days in a row of over 40 degrees is a good indicator that people are going to be tired, fatigued and dehydrated by the time we get to the weekend," Cricket NSW area manager and Wagga Cricket board member Luke Olsen said of the decision in his city.
"The duty of care directive and guideline we give to all associations is that if you have a constant lead up temperature range to the high 30s to low 40s is you should consider calling off cricket regardless of what the temperature is on Saturday.
"It is the long term exposure to heat that we are concerned about.
"That was really the indicator for us to call it off now as we are looking at that forecast."
Shanks stated policies vary from association to association, with it expected to be above 40 in Dubbo from Thursday through to Sunday.
Cricket in Dubbo has so far been unaffected by the recent harsh conditions but numerous racing, touch football, hockey, and cycling events have all be cancelled because of heat and poor air quality.
It's not only Dubbo, as all of Tuesday's games in the NSW Country Cricket Colts Championship in Bathurst abandoned inside two hours of play.
Tuesday also saw Orange Racing Ltd forced to give up its December 30 meeting at Towac Park because of the dry state of the track.
A lack of water has made it unsuitable for racing, with that meeting now transferred to Dubbo Turf Club.
Do you want more sport from the Dubbo region? Sign up to our newsletters here:
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
