A Dandenong District club, formed more than 100 years ago, is on the brink of closing its doors

Amid the City of Greater Dandenong’s push to save money on the cost of curating turf pitches, a staple of the DDCA is on the brink of folding. Here’s what we know.

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Springvale Cricket Club, formed more than 100 years ago, is on the brink of closing its doors.

The club has told the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) it is unlikely to go on in 2023-24.

It followed talks between the Scorpions and the City of Greater Dandenong over their future at their long-time home, Newcomen Rd Reserve.

Springvale has a small debt to the council and, to save costs, offered to drop one of its two turf teams and share the ground with another club.

It would have quickly put the Scorpions back in the black.

The council dismissed the idea.

New DDCA president Hilary Wijeratne said it would be sad to see Springvale - which started in 1915 – fold after so many years of cricket.

“All of our clubs are part of the fabric of the association,’’ he said.

“They’ve been in existence for many years.’’

The Scorpions left the DDCA in 1968-69, heading for the Victorian Junior Cricket Association (later renamed the Victorian Turf Cricket Association).

They returned in 2002-03.

Last season the club fielded two turf teams and one synthetic side.

The firsts made the finals in Turf 3.

Doubts over Springvale’s future come amid great uncertainty among clubs over the City of Greater Dandenong’s push to save money on the cost of curating turf pitches and send more teams on to hard wickets.

The council claims Cricket Victoria has “indicated their support for increased usage of synthetic wickets, as opposed to turf wickets, to encourage stronger growth in cricket participation’’.

An agreement with Turf 1 powerhouse Springvale South wasn’t enough. Picture: Valeriu Campan

One of Dandenong’s 18 turf grounds.

Greater Dandenong clubs have been told they will be able to field only two turf sides next season – and only on Saturdays.

The ruling affects clubs with three or more turf teams, including Buckley Ridges, Springvale South and Dandenong West. They will no longer have shared access to Greaves Reserve.

The new policy also means players in the veterans section on Sunday will now have to play on hard wickets.

Only female turf sides will be permitted to play on Sundays.

The City of Greater Dandenong passed a “cricket wicket’’ policy on March 27, with councillor Angela Long, a life member of North Dandenong Cricket Club, seconding the motion.

But clubs became aware of it only recently and are alarmed at the direction the council is taking.

In a report prepared for the March 27 meeting, the council said it had 18 turf grounds.

“In recent years there has been an increase in the use of turf wickets by lower-level teams for these high-quality facilities from DDCA affiliate clubs, ie teams which are not of a high enough standard of performance to warrant a turf table cricket wicket ground, for example fourth or fifth grade teams or social teams,’’ it said.

“The policy dictates that turf wickets will not be allocated for turf Grade E or 5+, Masters or equivalent level of cricket. These teams are to play on synthetic cricket wickets.’’

It said the turf wickets presented a “significant cost for council to maintain’’.

Some clubs are worried they will lose their grounds if they are unable to satisfy the council’s stated aim of having clubs introduce junior and female teams as well as increase female participation at committee level.

The clubs understand the need for “diversity and inclusion’’ but point out it is not as easy to achieve in multicultural Greater Dandenong than in the neighbouring City of Casey.

The council has told them they are “on notice’’.

It addresses the issue in its policy.

Is it stumps for Springvale Cricket Club?

“Clubs at the community level must demonstrate a development pathway to turf cricket including junior and female programs and/or competition sides playing at a lower level on non-turf wicket playing surfaces’’ will be a consideration in the allocation of turf wickets.

Contacted this morning, Long said: “We put through the strategy, I understand why it was done, turf wickets are very expensive to keep.

“If you’re not promoting juniors and women, and if you haven’t got many sides, it’s very hard for a council to then justify a turf wicket curator.

“We have to look at our money as closely as possible and try not to cut any services. Everyone is going through a hard time at the moment – the money is not there like it was before the pandemic.

“The pandemic has hurt a lot of people and the council as well. We spent about 27 million dollars forgoing rent, helping people with their rates, helping get food and all that sort of stuff.

“It’s been a hard time for the council and residents as well.

“The council has to be careful with its funding and if a club is not promoting juniors and women to play, we have to be equal amongst everything.

“Some clubs really struggle to pay the fee for the curator, and although it’s highly subsidised, some clubs still find it hard to pay it.”

The council has been contacted for comment.