The number of leagues attending Bendigo’s annual cricket fest were decreasing and there were plenty of old-timers out there who were quick to point out that the standard of play had dropped significantly.

It would have been easy for the Bendigo District Cricket Association to put the carnival in the “too-hard basket” and let it die a slow death.

But to the BDCA’s credit, it wasn’t going to let more than 75 years of cricket history go by the wayside.

The league got on the front foot and did everything in its power to rebuild the carnival.

The introduction of colts teams has given young players from across country Victoria the experience of a week’s cricket on turf against men.

The women’s Twenty20 carnival was added to Bendigo Country Week two years ago and it has quickly become an integral part of the carnival.

The growth of women’s cricket in Victoria should see Bendigo’s women’s carnival continue to prosper in years to come.

That can only be a good thing for Bendigo.

Country Week is more than just a few blokes having a bat and bowl and sharing a frothie or three after the game.

While it’s unlikely the carnival will return to its halcyon days of the 1960s and 1970s, it remains a financial boon to the region.

Twenty-six teams, plus officials and supporters, means a major cash injection into motels, restaurants and hotels across the city.

Whether you like cricket or not, Country Week is a carnival Bendigonians should cherish.