Players overcome ‘corella curveball’

Players overcome ‘corella curveball’

In just a matter of weeks from being thrown a Corella curveball, the cockies will not overcome the baseballers after play resumed last weekend.

The original return round from the Christmas break was cancelled due to Blue Lake Sports Park’s showcase diamond being dug up by thousands of corellas.

The birds that are often seen covering the skies of Blue Lake Sports Park were attracted to the playing surface due to the African Black Beetle grubs underneath the grass and left unrepaired divots everywhere as a result.

This made the Mount Gambier and District Baseball League think fast before another curveball was thrown its way.

The immediate response was to get the show back on the road and games were rescheduled to the back diamonds of Blue Lake Sports Park and Millicent’s Bolton Oval.

It gave punters the chance to enjoy some Division 1 baseball action at the secondary BLSP diamond for the first time in over a decade as Centrals and South Indians faced off in an intriguing affair.

But the future could be getting even more greener for the baseball world as the main diamond continues to heal ahead of schedule.

The Mount Gambier City Council has sprayed the playing surfaces to deter the African Black Beetle grubs from attracting the corellas, while the turf is expected to be longer and stronger.

MGDBL scribe Karl Ransom said these were all promising signs as the league reassessed the situation on a weekly basis, but has circled round 15 as the most likely return to home.

“It will be a week-by-week decision on the main field at the moment and at this stage we are hoping to come back next week,” he said.

“They are going to sand fill it, so with that heaps of water should get the grass to pop a little bit.

“Things have progressed quicker than what we thought, but the council have a heap of water and sand they will spread across the field to fill the holes which hopefully will bring it to a playable standard.

“All the clubs are working well together and the council has been really good, so the turnaround is probably quicker than what we thought.”

For this weekend’s set of Division 1 matches, the 2021/22 season will venture north for the first time.

Centrals and Millicent are heading to Naracoorte to promote the game, while Tigers and South are on the back diamond of Blue Lake Sports Park as the Division 2 players have a hit on Sunday.

Ransom said it will be a step back in time.

“They used to play one game a year (at Naracoorte) because they had a sponsors day to promote it, so it will be great to return,” he said.

“I have played up there a few times and it is a nice place, but the last time was really hot.

“But they do a great job and only have one senior team in the league so hopefully we can get a juniors side up there soon.”

Ransom is also the coach of the Tigers side and said it was a joy to be back on the field.

“It was great to be back,” he said.

“You do not like getting that curveball at the start of the year, but we were all happy to be back on the field and have fun with our mates.

“It did not look too good a few weeks ago, so it be possibly back on the main diamond in a month hopefully will be good.”

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