Newcastle Baseball Association have outlined a plan for juniors to start playing in August but up to 700 seniors will be sidelined with 2020 competitions cancelled.
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Age-group matches have been split into winter and summer sections to limit any potential impact on other sports such as cricket or softball while the six grade campaigns won't go ahead amid the global coronavirus pandemic.
NBA chairman Duane Harrison provided 10 key considerations in making the decisions, including financial impacts and competition integrity, but there was one main factor.
"Ultimately the reason for the cancellation of our senior season was the health and safety of our players, supporters and volunteers," Harrison told the Newcastle Herald.
"The health and safety of our junior players was also a concern, however, with reduced numbers in juniors we knew we could utilise baseball only fields to complete a season through the summer months."
An estimated 200 junior players are set to return to the diamond on August 22, pause for the October long weekend and then shift to midweek fixtures until championship deciders across December 12 and 13.
Three-time defending first grade premiers Toronto, Belmont, White Sox, Phoenix, Boomeranags and Maitland all field junior teams. Woodberry, Lakers, Seaham, Nelson Bay and University only have senior sides.
Meanwhile, the US Major League Baseball has rejected the players' proposal for a 114-game schedule in the pandemic-delayed season with management looking to end the regular rounds by October 31.
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