UPPER Hunter and Singleton district cricket associations made last-minute calls to cancel their respective finals series despite having originally gone against the national governing body's directive to stop all matches in response to the global coronavirus pandemic.
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The two sporting groups back-flipped on Friday, March 20 - due to an order from the Hunter Valley Cricket Council - and won't take to the field this weekend or next to decide major premiers for 2019-20.
Cricket Australia (CA), who played a one-day international behind closed doors at the SCG last week and later scrapped the remainder of the Sheffield Shield season, "strongly recommended" on Tuesday "that all amateur cricket played within the community should cease".
The CA statement continued: "Based on expert advice from CA's chief medical officer John Orchard and recent government information we want to ensure that cricket is doing everything it can to contribute to the global effort to slow, and eventually stop, the spread of coronavirus."
Singleton District Cricket Association conducted a meeting on Wednesday night, voting in favour of playing before overturning that decision on Friday afternoon.
Upper Hunter District Cricket Association was also looking to forge ahead but pulled the pin on Friday morning.
Elsewhere, an 11th-hour call was made in Mudgee on Friday evening to cancel finals.
Down in Victoria, both Bendigo and Ballarat districts only opted against playing deciders in the last 48 hours.
Newcastle district announced on Tuesday that no play-offs would take place and no major premiers crowned.
Other sports such as league, union, football, Aussie rules and netball have been suspended until further notice.
