North Shore Cricket Club requests to withdraw from GCA4 to a lower competition

The GCA has proposed to maintain divisive draw rules for the coming summer as a GCA4 club has requested to withdraw to a lower competition.

The Geelong Cricket Association’s divisive draw rules could be amended for the coming summer.

In an email to all clubs, the association proposed the retention of the rule which was introduced in 2023-24, allowing North Geelong to win its fifth consecutive GCA1 premiership by drawing the grand final against East Belmont.

While the Lions stressed they had no issue with the Magpies implementing their ultimately title-winning strategy, East Belmont said the new rule was “not fit for purpose” in finals.

St Peter’s also drew the GCA2 first grade grand final over Torquay to win the flag.

This masthead understands some clubs have welcomed the association’s willingness to be flexible with the draw rules.

The rule was introduced for first and second grade of the GCA’s top three divisions to foster strategic thinking from captains and avoid two-day games becoming “glorified extensions” of the 50-over tournament.

However, the association is proposing to remove the awarding of three points to each club for a draw – as per the rule in 23-24 – but instead teams receive bonus points for runs and wickets.

In the email, GCA president Rob Vines said all teams would receive 0.004 points per run and 0.1 points per wicket during first and second eleven games.

“To promote positive results-oriented cricket only the applicable bonus points will be awarded to each team in a drawn match, in lieu of the previous ‘split’ of three premiership points per team,” Vines said.

Meanwhile, North Shore Cricket Club has requested to drop from GCA4 to the 40-over one day competition, citing a “lack of competitiveness” and “no viable pairing options” with other clubs.

It means GCA4 would become a seven-team competition at this stage.

In other proposals, there could be a reintroduction of a three-week final series in all GCA1, 2, 3 and 4 grades “in future years where the available season length allows”.

Vines said the State Government had determined the summer sports season runs from October 1 to March 31.

“Community cricket fixtures must be contained in this window,” Vines said.

“The other determining factor is when Easter falls each year.

“In most seasons, Easter will fall late enough to enable a three-week finals series to be scheduled before the end of March.”

He said Easter fell too early last summer to allow for a three-week finals series.

The T20 Knockout Cup gets a shake-up

Geelong cricket’s shortest format could be drastically changed in 24-25.

The association’s T20 Knockout Cup competition has been proposed to be split into two competitions.

GCA1 and 2 clubs would be randomly drawn into four pools of four teams each.

Each club plays three round robin matches, on a Tuesday, with the top team from each pool progressing to the semi-finals.

This system would be repeated in a separate competition involving GCA3 and 4 teams.

A coin toss would be reintroduced and matches would be played at the home ground of the first drawn team.

Both grand finals would be played on January 25 at a “suitable side-by-side venue”.

Clubs have until July 19 to provide their feedback to the association’s proposals.

North Shore Cricket Club request demotion

A request from North Shore Cricket Club to drop down from GCA4 was very much a “player-based decision”, its secretary says.

Geelong Cricket Association president Rob Vines informed clubs on the weekend the Seagulls were keen to drop back to the 40-over one day competition after a tough 2023-24 season.

Both its first and second grade teams finished on the bottom of the ladder with just three wins between them.

However, in a statement to this masthead from secretary Sarah Brogden, the club was happy to return to the competition where it won a 2020-21 first grade grand final over Teesdale.

“This was a player-based decision,” Brogden said.

“Our players felt like they were playing in a division too high.

“(They) are happy to return to the one day comp and we do not view it negatively.

“The players are excited to get back into it.”

Brogden said the club struggled with “big losses week after week” and had considered a demotion from the middle of last season.

“We want to be known as a club where you can come and play cricket with your mates, or make new friends here,” she said.

“We had success very quickly when the club reformed (in 19-20) and was playing in the one day comp.

“We believe returning to that competition will boost confidence that our team can compete each week.”

However, the club is not aware of any players leaving at this point with some interest shown from new prospects during the off-season.

On a brighter note, the club also has an all abilities team in the Melbourne All Abilities Cricket Association, which only just missing out on the finals by percentage, while some of its players have taken part in GCA fixtures.

“We have a very broad range of abilities and identities who play for North Shore and everyone is welcomed,” she said.

Originally published as North Shore Cricket Club requests to withdraw from GCA4 to a lower competition