Nick Jewell calls for Twenty20s to be part of MPCA home and away season
Former Victorian batsman Nick Jewell wants the Mornington Peninsula Cricket competition to make a radical fixture change in season 2021-22.
South East
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Covid lockdowns have played havoc with community sport over the past 18 months.
It’s become an all too common scenario; the season’s humming along and then, bang, it’s halted.
With local cricket due to hit off in early October, former Victorian opening batsman Nick Jewell, who plays for Long Island in the Mornington Peninsula competition, says the peninsula should adopt a new short-form schedule.
He is calling for a mixture of one-day games and Twenty20s to make up the home-and-away season.
As it stands, the MPCA intends to bring back two-day games next season.
But Jewell says it’s too risky.
“Just make the call,’’ he said.
“I’d hate for us to get seven games in and say, ‘oh, we’ve got to change it now’, when the writing’s on the wall, you can see it coming.’’
Jewell said these uncertain times presented an opporunity for the local cricket competition to put more of a focus on Twenty20s.
“To say that we can have seven two-day games, that’s 14 weeks through the cricket season, that we are going to say are not affected by Covid...from what we’ve seen over the past 12 months I don’t think it’s going to happen,’’ Jewell said.
“It would be nice it if did.
“Let’s have the 14 one-day games and have the Jack Peacock Cup, the Twenty20s, as part of the competition, as part of he home and away ladder.
“So you’re actually getting your best side to play (Twenty20s).
“All the years I’ve played down here, blokes are working and can’t get there because the (T20) games are played on a Tuesday night.
“Play them on a Saturday and have them as part of the fixture and let’s have a look at Twenty20 at full strength.
“Seven Twenty20s and 14 one dayers, there’s your season.’’
Jewell said the MPCA could even look at playing double-headers.
“I think it would be a bit of fun,’’ he said.
“Make it a carnival atmosphere. Think outside the square.’’
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