Cricket Southern Bayside clubs to vote on the return of two-day games

With Cricket Southern Bayside clubs set to vote on the re-introduction of two-day cricket, a leading club has conducted its own poll, unearthing interesting results.

Mordialloc batter Harrison Scott cuts against South Caulfield last season. Picture: Valeriu Campan

It’s a polarising issue.

One-dayers, two-dayers or a mixture of both…how should local cricket be structured?

The format of the 2022-23 Cricket Southern Bayside season is yet to be decided, with clubs to vote on several fixture options.

Only one-day games were played over the past two seasons due to Covid.

But Ben Cavey, Cricket Southern Bayside operations manager, said a return to two-day cricket was likely next season.

“It’s up to the clubs what they want to do,’’ he said.

“If they turn around and they say they don’t want to play two-dayers then that’s up to them.

“It’s likely that we will play it (two-day games) but again that’s up to the clubs.’’

Cavey said CSB officials would meet with clubs next Wednesday night to discuss the “shape’’ of the season ahead.

“Obviously clubs want to recruit players and if they’re not playing two-dayers they will recruit a different type of player, so it’s important we get them what the shape of the season is as soon as possible,’’ he said.

“We’ll see what they want to do because it’s their competition played their way.’’

McKinnon’s Tiron Fernando.

Simon Cormie of Mentone.

Mentone captain Dane Heverin said players were eagerly awaiting the format of the ‘22-23 season.

He said the Tigers conducted their own poll of about 25 players to gauge their interest in returning to two-day games.

“It was really mixed, really even,’’ Heverin said.

“For a lot of guys having one day games every single week where everyone is getting a bat and a bowl is a really big thing.

“I think there will be plenty of people, not just in our competition but right across Melbourne, that won’t be keen on fielding all day after the last two seasons of just playing one-dayers.

“If we were to go to all one-dayers I’d like to see it may be lengthened to 50 overs.

“I think it just brings everyone into the game a little bit more having that extra 10 overs. Guys who bat in the middle to lower order get more of an opportunity, bowlers get to bowl a few extra overs and probably bowl longer spells.’’

Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Cricket is to welcome back two-day games, with a mix of one-dayers, two-dayers and T20 games.

“It will be two-day cricket, I think that’s pretty common knowledge,’’ Cricket Victoria competitions manager Darren Anderson said.

But Anderson said a decision hadn’t been made on how many overs the two-day games would consist of.